Episodes of Hearts
by val'tanelle
Summary: AU The Youth Festival is coming and a negative atmosphere plagues Raden Academy. Fortunately, the hero, Roxas was already in action to save the day. Xion may have to give a different opinion: “Roxas, they’ve been stalking you.” R&R appreciated
1. the silver brooch iris student, roxas

**Episodes of Hearts  
By Himig**

**Summary:** [AU] Everyone knows the 2nd year Iris student in Raden Academy. Boarded in his skateboard he swoops into action - such a charming modern hero who everyone (enemies exempted) admires. Axel met him once. "Hey, you're that kid who slipped on the banana peel!"

**Disclaimer:** Nope…just the plot, and maybe the tweaking in the setting.

**Author's Notes:** A plot bunny. Short chapters, but filled with content. This is a slice-of-life story, but believe me – there IS an ACTUAL plot, and this is not filled with romance, angst, and drama. I will focus on friendship and several themes in life and adulthood. This is planned to have a sequel if I manage to pull it off.

The story focuses on Roxas, Axel, and Xion. There is a Sora, Riku, Kairi – and the other crew story involved, but most of them would be some other time. You should find Final Fantasy characters here too. As for Disney characters, we'll see.

It's not yaoi, by the way.

Moving on, the main setting is in Radiant Garden. It has an academy called Radiant Garden Academy, Raden Academy in short. Students are informally called Raden students.

The school is special because the students, ages thirteen to eighteen*, is divided into five Bouquets: Sakura, Lotus, Sunflower, Iris, and Daisy depending on the result of their entrance exam. There's no particular order though. You'll find out what the Bouquets are. There are also organizations and guilds, which the different Bouquets can intermingle with. The number of students is a bit limited too, since the school is a bit new and three other schools exist near Radiant Garden.

I hope you enjoy. I have one on-going Kingdom Hearts story too, in case you're interested.

Um, there will be some cameos too, since I hate OC's. Not including random NPC.

* - originally seventeen. Corrected July 11 2009

**

* * *

  
Episodes of Hearts**

**episode 1  
silver brooch iris student, roxas**

* * *

It feels like I'm far from finding what I'm missing.

My uncle said I had a twin brother. My late father never told me. My uncle said my father didn't want to remember the past. My twin brother died with my mother in the sea.

I asked him what my twin brother's name was.

He didn't know.

Radiant Garden isn't my hometown. This is where my uncle lives. He took me in ever since my father died last year.

I used to live in Twilight Town – with my mother and my twin brother.

I don't remember anything that happened when I was with them.

I was seven.

* * *

In nights in Radiant Garden, the tall lamp posts illuminated every spot in the streets and alleys. The scent of the tranquil city burned passionately through the air. Harmonic scents from the flowers of the beloved city of flowers mixed together to form a distinguishable aroma that can only be produced in the beloved city of flowers.

The beloved city of flowers was a city of stone and flowers. The most basic foundation of houses was stones, and the streets and sidewalks were made of the same structure. The streets were side and public transports slowly sped through it. The sidewalks were large as well to fit good benches, trash cans, and of course, a garden of flowers. The houses were stout; there was no house that was taller than three stories. The common houses had one or two; the second floor compromising a few rooms or maybe just serving as an attic. Of course, the houses also had a garden of flowers.

The beloved city of flowers did not have towering buildings. The sky was open and free for birds and alike to rule. Humbly, the airborne and land creatures admire each other and live mutually in this quiet beloved city of flowers.

The ruler of this beloved city of flowers was Ansem – Ansem the Wise.

However, even in the beloved city of flowers ruled by Ansem – Ansem the Wise, there are still troubles and crimes alike. It's nothing like a widespread panic or attack, or anything like that. It's the average speaking of thievery, cheating, fighting – often times happening in Radiant Garden Academy, or Raden Academy in short.

There's one boy – a second year student in Raden Academy who's well-known for his antics and actions. He was the juvenile, modern version of a knight in shining armor. Often, he was clad in leather white with his trusty steed, a coolly designed skateboard.

He was a really fine boy (of his generation!). He wasn't skinny or too bulky. Sure he is smaller than the AVERAGE boys of his age, but he had the perfect sense and balance of masculinity and femininity. Many boys acknowledge and respect him, and most girls just sigh dreamily behind his back.

This is the popular kid in Raden Academy. Surely, it's not just his looks and charisma? Just what does he do?

Believe it or not, he is NOT part of any sports team and he wasn't really an honor student either. Yes, he is very talented in skateboarding and a few sports, but his youthful life is spent on helping and associating with people – a silver brooch Iris student.

As said, he really is a modern version of a knight in shining armor.

As imagined, he wears a smile all the time and calms the tide like a god. With one swing of his lance, the evil cower behind him. His life was controlled by his divine hands as he is sworn to his duty.

Believe it or not, he is NOT enjoying his life at all. He cannot control what is happening to him and he cannot smile like a stiff painting. It takes guts and effort, unlike a real knight's way of easily swinging a lance.

The thing is he is a second year student. He is an Iris student, a silver brooch from Raden Academy.

He does what he thinks is right – something HAS to be done, it was his line. He's always on the move, following what he thinks – because it's what his heart says. Yet, it's not enough.

Then at times he was simply walking, he would glance at people in peers and feel lonely. Then he wonders if he really was following his heart.

* * *

"ROXAS!"

A number of people greeted the boy. Upon entering the main hall of the academy, he saw many heads from different Bouquets turn to him. His eyebrows shot up.

"Yea?" he wondered, walking back slightly. Some of them – mostly his fans, were edging closer.

"How are you?"

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Do you need help?"

"I'll carry your books, c'mon."

"It's still early, you know. Maybe you should check in the nurse…"

"I'm okay…" Roxas tried to say out loud, but he was overwhelmed.

"I bet those students from Sunflower did this to you!" A chubby fourth year said.

A girl looked at him skeptically. "Really?"

"No, it wasn't from school! It was the robber he was chasing!"

Roxas appeared blank. His eyes were flying from face to face.

"Oh my gosh, I saw that in the news!"

They spoke in hushed whispers excitedly.

Finally, a familiar face showed up. He had with him the same brooch Roxas was wearing on his chest: an Iris brooch, but the brooch was bronze instead.

Having overheard what was talked about in the air, the baby-faced sixth year cocked his head. "Was that why you went pass me without a 'hi'?"

"No!" he burst out. Heck, none of this was true!

The sixth year grinned – almost a smirk. He boldly cut through the crowd of people, ignoring the whines as he shove them off, and pulled Roxas by the wrist.

"C'mon superhero, you've got an assignment."

"What? But he just recovered!"

Roxas was glad he was pulled away by the person that wouldn't feel sympathetic about it at all.

* * *

One thing that constantly happens to a person is to have rumors about them.

One thing that constantly happens to Roxas is rumors exaggerating his actions.

While being constantly a boy wonder makes little sense in an ordinary world, the fact is Roxas is a silver brooch Iris students. Of course, Roxas was doing those things voluntarily.

Iris is one of the five Bouquets. Many of the students in the Bouquet are leaders and those that consider law enforcement or politics in the future. A couple of graduates from the Bouquet enroll in other Gardens and apply for SeeD in Balamb Garden. The thing about this Bouquet is that it's all about helping people.

Iris Bouquet has been labeled as the Hero Bouquet, and many of them have been given nicknames – sometimes mockingly.

Roxas was the most well-known from the Iris Bouquet. He hasn't been in school for more than two complete years though, but he was certainly hogging all the limelight.

Normally, the Iris Bouquet doesn't get much attention in their exploits. They were the least popular Bouquet after Daisy Bouquet, but something about Roxas made the Bouquet more exciting.

Ever since then, their Gardener has been giving Roxas a lot of assignments – not out of spite, oh no. Assignments are given personally by the Bouquet's Gardener depending on what they (There's only one Gardener for each Bouquet but he doesn't decide alone) see fit.

You see, the more assignments Roxas does, the more attention for the Bouquet.

So yes, he is being used.

* * *

Roxas was glad to see the small empty garden located at the back of the building. They walked up the path turning to a hill.

"Thanks for saving me there, Zidane," he said. They were at the Iris building now, off-limited to those not in their Bouquet.

"Save you?" he laughed. "Didn't think you'd need some saving."

Roxas felt the wind blow. Their building had the nicest location. It was on an elevated hill behind the academy. To get there, you have to walk through Iris Garden – a fitting name since this was the 'pathway' to the Iris building.

"All right," Roxas said. "What's the assignment?"

Zidane gave him a weird look. "It's just the third day of the school year and you're so serious about school already!"

Roxas scratched the back of his head, trying not to show his annoyance. Wasn't he the one who wanted him to do his assignment?

"Our first period's free again, so I'd like to get to know more of the girls," Zidane said with a cocky smile. His blue eyes were glinting smartly.

They arrived at the top and entered the small castle-like building. Roxas expected Zidane to escort him somewhere – but then the sixth year's eyes were set on some girls.

"Zidane?"

"Er…Roxas. Here's the letter."

"Wha?"

Zidane wanted to leave as quickly as possible now. Roxas was growing more annoyed.

"There's a new student you have to tour around and introduce to the systems and rules. Check the envelope." Without saying a goodbye, he ditched the boy he fetched.

* * *

Zidane is a bronze brooch Iris sixth year student. He was on the Iris Bouquet in his first year, but got kicked for neglecting his duties (over girls). For four years, he was in the popular Sunflower Bouquet and got a silver brooch three times in a row. Last year, he lost his silver brooch from a girl he once dated (it was a duel),

This year, he went back to the Iris Bouquet from a recommendation. During the summer, he spent a day chasing a foreigner just to return his wallet, and was then awarded the bronze brooch.

Still, old habits die hard.

Roxas remembered Zidane from last year. He had constantly teased him about women.

* * *

He knocked on the door. "Excuse me."

Roxas opened the door and only saw an empty seat. Roxas read through the letter in the envelope again. He was sure he was in the right room.

He closed the door and turned around. Just as he was about to wonder what to do, he saw Zidane.

"Zidane, where's the new student?" he asked. He even showed the paper.

Zidane was still slightly distracted, but at least paid some attention. "Huh?"

Still, Roxas didn't like that answer.

"You're supposed to look for him!"

Roxas read through the lines in the paper. He frowned. "You said so yourself…"

Zidane's eyes widened in realization. He made a mistake.

"Yea, but the new student's gone, so…"

The clock was ticking. The first period's almost over.

Roxas took the letter and retrieved his skateboard from his locker.

As a silver brooch Iris student from Raden Academy, he was allowed to use the skateboard on special circumstances in school campus.

As a silver brooch Iris student, Roxas has to do his assignments and deal with people problems.

And because something HAS to be done.

* * *

_Hey Seph, how's Balamb Garden? Been a few months – sorry. Been working overnight for weeks I passed out! Of course you're probably working twice as I am. _

_Aerith and I haven't seen each other for a while. She's buried in books – I mean, seriously, she's forgotten to eat and take a bath three times in a row. We really need to get a day to relax – the three of us. _

_All right, don't go forgetting us!_

_Zack_

* * *

_**end of episode**_

* * *

Not much happen, but I certainly jammed in the content. Guess who's showing up next.

And it is indeed Zidane from FF9. You can't guess who beat him last year – and it's not Garnet.


	2. his assignment: new student axel

I've finally constructed the complete draft for this fic. Every 5 chapters, I'll provide the chapter titles. Since I failed to do so in chapter 1, here are the titles for chapters 1 to 5.

Episode 1: silver brooch iris student, roxas  
Episode 2: his assignment: new student axel  
Episode 3: the girl named xion  
Episode 4: the patrol assignment  
Episode 5: the official studies, and alice

I will not provide answers to spoilers – advance note to all reviewers.

**

* * *

**

**Episodes of Hearts**

**episode 2  
his assignment: new student axel**

* * *

Ordinary people will be happy when they can just get what they want! I can – but I'm not an ordinary person. Everyday, I live a different life.

It's not the same to ask freely from a devil. In exchange for your desires, you grant him obedience – your freedom.

That's what he expects of me.

I won't owe him anything – the devil does not grant wishes for free. But I know someday, he will force me. He will find a weakness and take away my life – my freedom.

And I'm afraid that the day would come. For seven years, I've lived in fear.

I'm not an ordinary person. Everyday, I live a different life.

* * *

There's a typical tale surrounding rich young kids. They've been described to live a life full of luxury and stood as the figure of power. Yet they cower when they're alone and fall under tight pressure for the future ahead of them.

That's right. All they seem to have is arrogance and money.

It's been justified that the reasons behind their actions and schemes is their lack of attention and apparent boredom in life.

It's been forgotten that the world has always revolved around money and stood as the power to gain in humans. Heroism no longer pays, but used to garnish attention and influence. To grow in the environment was to be faced in the bitterest reality that to even fall a little was a weakness the strong can manipulate.

For a child to struggle was to use every method he has in order to survive this harsh world he was in.

His world was different. His life was different.

* * *

"Mmm, nice view." He stretched lazily and crossed his arms behind his mane of red hair. "Wasn't easy going through that pile of rubble. It's worth it though. I can practically see everything from here." He looked at the ceiling and walls, which were surely in need of repair. It was pretty cramped inside with the piles of wood scattered across the room. On its central were big and small gears that traced from the unmoving fan of the windmill.

"Maybe I should get some snacks," he said to no one in particular.

"Eating on the grounds is not allowed…or loitering in off-limits area."

The tall teenaged boy looked past his shoulder and immediately spotted the pair of disapproving azure eyes. He blinked at those eyes for a few times, not at all shaken for being caught in the act. Instead, he slyly smiled and quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh? Then why are you here?" he pointed out, amused. His amusement grew at the sight of the skateboard underneath his foot. "I'm not a fan of rules, but I'm going to assume extreme sports are not allowed either."

Instead of breaking into embarrassment or realization, the boy calmly pointed to the brooch hanging on his chest. "I'm from the Iris Bouquet, a silver brooch Iris student. I have permission to step in off-limits areas and use any methods of transportation around school grounds in case of emergency."

"What emergency?"

"You."

"Oh. Haha! That's a funny one."

Roxas chose not to comment, not even at the extremely spiky and long mane of red hair the new student have ("Is he trying to be Knuckles?") and the tattoo underneath his right eye. Of course, there was also the black trench coat…

"Anyway, we—"

"How did you find me here so fast?" The new student asked. His voice never seemed to run out of amusement (or sarcasm).

Roxas sighed inwardly, not at all _amused_ by the rude interruption. "I looked around, I asked people. Now let's—"

"Oh, please. This school's as big as my own place. You couldn't have found me without going through the whole place with your lackeys."

"Lackeys?" he raised cynically.

The new student ran a hand through his hair and resumed to rub it the back of his head. Roxas quirked an eyebrow at the sudden silence he decided to take.

"What?"

"Psh, nothing," he answered, waving a hand in the air. "Thought about Seifer and his gang…"

"Seifer?"

The boy's emerald eyes rolled in the slit and small sockets. "Oh nothin'. I keep talking to myself."

"No, no," he replied hastily, shaking his head. "You mean Seifer from Twilight Town?"

"Twilight Town?" he repeated. Roxas nodded. The new student raised himself straight and scratched his chin in an exaggeration to scrutinize Roxas.

Roxas shrugged his shoulders. "What?"

The amused green eyes narrowed and the sly lips curved. "Twilight Town's my hometown. And…I'm guessing it's yours, too?"

"Yea, but I moved here almost three years ago." Roxas made an effort to remember the new student's face. "I don't remember you…"

"Axel."

"Roxas."

Axel bent forward. "Hmm…no, doesn't ring a bell."

"I haven't heard your name before either…" Roxas found it rather odd. "Well, I guess it makes sense why they assigned me to you."

"You mean you're my babysitter?"

Roxas smirked. "You think you're still a baby? Interesting." For a moment, he slightly imitated Axel's amused voice.

Axel's eyebrows dropped languidly, along with his facial expression and stature that stood indifferent all of a sudden, as if he became a robot.

"You're very funny."

Roxas couldn't help but snigger.

"OH!"

"What?" he stuttered, completely surprised.

Axel suddenly began to laugh as if Roxas just shared the funniest joke. He chortled uncontrollably like a madman. His eyes were close to tears. Roxas looked at him quizzically: this guy's insane.

"Hey," he said in between breaths. He pointed a finger at Roxas, struggling not to explode into laughing. "You're that kid, hahaha!"

"What?" he asked again, starting to grow irked.

Axel cleared his throat. "That kid who slipped on the banana peel!"

"…"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

* * *

There were actually three stories about that.

* * *

"You were like, chasing this _BALL_! Hahaha! And then you stepped on the banana peel and—I was eight! Oh, God, I remember! Hahahaha! It was by the train station and—did you see yourself _FLIP_? You were like some puppy FLIPPING! Hahaha!"

* * *

And the other one was five years ago that involved a cake and pie.

* * *

"And—okay you were eight, but how DUMB were you? When I was ten—you were ten, and you were walking your dog when you suddenly _twirled_ backwards and hit the ground—it was the banana peel. Are you making a running gag?—Then your dog ran and DRAGGED you to this—haha he was so mad, you know—the baker. That cake hit you like a giant PIE!"

* * *

The third one was the worst and simplest. Yet it was the work of a genius.

* * *

"LAST NIGHT! I even counted it! Five seconds—you were skateboarding and you slipped on the banana peel then you just flew in the air and CRASHED into the trash can like a _BALL_! SERIOUSLY HAHA! _THAT_ was just hilarious! And oh my god, HAHA don't tell me the bandage around your head--! HAHA!"

* * *

Roxas was a bit lost in his focus today. He managed to attend his classes and tour the new student around – trying his best not to glance at Axel, because every time he saw his face, Roxas can hear Axel's laughter ringing in his head. He didn't want to snap at Axel for this though, especially since he wasn't really _trying_ to be funny right now.

Axel actually listened to Roxas, especially with some tidbits of information about the school, so the more he noticed Roxas being quiet and serious. He didn't know if Roxas was actually like this (aside from banana peel encounters, he didn't know him at all), but felt more that the Iris student was feeling uncomfortable near him.

By the end of the day (classes end at 3 o'clock in the afternoon but the school dismiss students at 5pm for Bouquet meetings) Roxas showed Axel the buildings for the Bouquets filled with students. The buildings were like towers around the grounds; towers, in a way that were like landmarks rather than in the essence of being tall.

* * *

"So, you go to class, do assignments, and some random things with your Bouquet?"

"If that's how you put it, I guess."

Axel furrowed his eyebrows and brought a topic that's been bugging him. "Why are you so quiet?"

"Huh?" Roxas shot him a glance, but immediately looked away.

"And why are you doing that?" Axel almost laughed, but he strangely went ways to suppress it. "Look, I'm sorry. I guess I _overreacted_ laughing. I must have sounded dumb."

"No, it's not that!" he said, and then rethought it. "Just…related to that…"

"Okay…" he conceded, though his face said so otherwise.

Roxas finally looked at Axel. "No, I'm sorry. I suck. I didn't even welcome you nicely. Too late for that now, I guess…I'm just feeling a bit…shy."

Though Roxas expected it, Axel didn't laugh. He smiled though in a non-mocking way.

"I thought Iris students were the people-loving bunch? The girls in your Bouquet NEVER stop talking."

Roxas scratched the back of his head. "I'm not very…talkative." His chuckle died immediately. "I just like helping people. That's all."

"Oh."

Roxas scrutinized Axel's once-clownish face.

"I see."

Something changed.

* * *

Axel wasn't able to take the ability and personality test yet, so he wasn't in any Bouquets, but he intermingled with the students. For the first and second week, he would share the same schedule as Roxas, but he can change schedule if he so desire later on (after he is assigned to a Bouquet).

Roxas did his part as to watch over Axel even after the first few days. He did the initiative to ask and question Axel how he was coping with the recall lessons and the other students. Axel just nodded without leaving many comments. When Roxas insisted, Axel just said things like "Not bad", "Yea, it's good", "Pretty smooth".

Roxas didn't think Axel was lying or anything, but he didn't believe him either. He wasn't one to judge a book by its cover, but Axel didn't seem to be the type who likes studying, but strangely – he grew distracted over this thought – Axel was like a normal student who listen to the teacher.

There were many chances for Roxas to observe this. Many of the teachers welcomed Axel and allowed him to stand and say a couple of things. Axel said some things and a few witty comments, which made him quite likable from the eyes of the student. Roxas would even dare say he was rather popular...

Again, Roxas wasn't one to judge a book by its cover, but Axel didn't seem to be the type who shies away from the limelight, but strangely – he grew very interested about this thought – Axel was...humble? Not really...there's a better term.

Backing away?

Roxas played the thought that Axel was actually a shy person. He sniggered. No shy person would gel his hair like Knuckles and get a tattoo on his face.

* * *

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, Knuc---nothing," Roxas replied.

Axel had quirked an eyebrow, before resuming to eat his burger.

It was their lunch break (11:45am – 1:05pm) and they shared time eating to where Roxas usually stay: the storage room near the well.

"What time is it?"

Roxas glanced at his wrist watch, a burger is his mouth. Roxas used his hands to tell that it was 12:15.

"10 minutes late, but never _too_ late." Axel stood up from the box and went to uncover what was revealed to be a television on top a box. Roxas' jaw dropped.

"What the..."

"It's too quiet around here," Axel said while controlling his grin. "And the music channel's active and alive at this time." He turned on the television with a remote and the screen flickered with colors as a rich pop music came out.

"You brought a TV to school..."

"Made by the Moogle company. I pre-ordered it." Axel knew Roxas was stunned with his brave move even without looking away from the music video on play.

Roxas, despite himself, couldn't help but laugh and shake his head.

Axel grinned at Roxas, who didn't seem to reapprove like what he expected. He sat back down at the box that served too as their chairs. "So...?"

"What?" Roxas laughed.

"Are we playing Guitar Hero tomorrow?"

Roxas laughed out loud. "No!"

"I'll play drums, you play guitar. It's easy to play the guitar," the redhead said, performing into thin air.

"I know how to play the guitar," the Iris student replied. "But that's all. I'm not musically inclined."

"Roxas?"

The two boys stopped and looked through the opened door. There was a man (a bit too young to be working) wearing the cleaning staff uniform of the school. He wore a black cap and held a gardening tool.

"Who's he?" Axel asked quietly.

"Leon," Roxas answered. He smiled and waved at the man named Leon. "Have you eaten lunch?"

"Not yet," he answered. His voice was quiet and low and his eyes seemed cold and distant. "Your friend?" Leon nodded at Axel's direction.

"Axel," Roxas gestured.

"The new student?" he asked.

Axel nodded. "That's me."

Roxas almost laughed when Leon glanced at the television.

"TV."

And then he just turned and left.

"Why are you laughing?" Axel asked with no clue at all for Roxas' sense of humor.

"Well," he said, bottling his laughter. "Leon's not your average guy. He's quiet and kind of a loner. He looks mean at first, but he's a good guy. When I took the exams in the school, I wandered to this place and fell in the well. Leon saved me in a pinch."

"How did you fall?"

"I don't know. I slipped, I guess. I was leaning too close. I think I saw something sparked down the well, but it must have been just the sun."

"What if that guy pushed you?"

Roxas was bewildered. "What?"

"He's a new guy, isn't he?"

"Yea..." Roxas answered doubtfully, sensing something leading to one thing and another. "But he doesn't like attention, if you're thinking...you know." Axel didn't reply, so Roxas continued. "He told me to keep quiet about it...then he won't tell a thing about my loitering, haha."

Roxas tried to return the casual mood, but Axel suddenly became serious. He leaned back and put an arm to dangle on the edge of a box near him. "So there are people like that..."

Roxas thought he should bring some more justice for Leon. "Leon actually taught me some sword techniques. The school doesn't teach much about weapon handling until next year; but last year, Leon gave me a few tips. He said it should be helpful if I wanted to protect people I care about."

Axel was intrigued. "So you know how to fight?"

The way Axel put it, it sounded like he meant 'violent fighting', but Roxas nodded and said yes anyway.

The two were shortly distracted by a rock song that played.

* * *

The day zoomed to 3 o'clock. There were no home works or alike yet, so students were goofing off and teachers were pulling out their best entertainment and education for them. The most notable was the scrabble game pulled off by their English professor. The game was done in groups and the letters the group have are letters from their names (in addition, to equalize the numbers of letters all group has, those lacking were ask to draw a piece of paper for additional letters). No one wanted Axel or Roxas – x was a very difficult word.

The two were bound to be in a group though, and were put separately. When the moment came for the letters to be used, it was Roxas' and Axel's turn from their groups. Axel was highly competitive and smashed Roxas with the word 'xiphoid' versus 'toxic'.

Axel didn't go around bragging his knowledge of English words that don't exist yet in the latest dictionary, but was genuinely happy just beating Roxas. It was just for amusement.

Axel's competitiveness (against Roxas anyway) didn't end until that afternoon. Since Axel's free for two hours, Roxas was pretty much as available as Axel. For both of them, the free two hours were their time for school loitering (Axel on the lead, of course). Still, Roxas didn't approve of going back to the off-limits area in the windmills. He couldn't stop Axel though – he must be losing his touch.

* * *

He tossed Roxas an elongated piece of wood, around a meter long. Roxas saw Axel pick up two dagger-like pieces of wood.

"Um?"

"We're gonna fight," Axel said. "You said you can fight, right?"

Roxas felt ridiculous. "Of course, but you can get hurt!"

Axel just laughed. "Oh yea? Just try."

"Axel!" the student berated. "This isn't funny!"

"I'm not joking," he said, but his voice said so otherwise. "We're just going to swing some wood and happen to hit each other."

"Axel!"

"Here I go!"

Axel's enthusiasm surely drove him to do the initiative. Roxas wasn't lying or at all joking like Axel when he said he can fight. He blocked Axel with swipes than a two-handed grip on the wooden makeshift sword. Axel didn't realize the great difference until Roxas ducked and finally attacked. Axel barely dodged and dropped the piece from his left hand.

"Are we done?" Roxas said listlessly.

"Tsk...you're really good..." Roxas saw Axel's emerald eyes flash into slits. "But I'm not yet done!"

Axel conjured a piece of wood from his trench coat to his once-empty left hand and struck Roxas at close range. Roxas expertly sprung back and twisted his ankle to twirl and obliquely strike at Axel. As he does, Roxas saw a blink of panic and fear as he came face-to-face with his friend that rebounded to him as confusion and anxiety. This distraction served only as demise as Axel hurriedly hurled the two pieces of wood at Roxas. Immediate impulse saved Roxas from getting gouged, but the demise was the pile of wood on the weary bridge that the ricocheted pieces of wood upset.

Roxas had no idea about this.

"Axel, careful!" Roxas shouted angrily. He didn't like the idea of getting blind.

Axel had not heard him. "Roxas! LOOK OUT!"

Something flew along with the mixture of wood from the bridge. Small chests were pulled along to drop – all on top of the shocked Iris student.

The loud crashed ended in one second. Dust covered the whole room. Axel can only hear his own coughing. He desperately searched where Roxas was. The boy was just standing in front of him.

"Roxas!" he shouted. He heard him cough. Axel quickly found Roxas sprawled on the ground. He managed to lunge forward and cover his head, but his leg was twisted in a painful way right under the pile of wood.

"Rox!" Axel ran and knelt beside the half-unconscious boy, figuring out where to begin to get the mass out of Roxas' leg. As he did so, he found the chests opened with their contents, photographs, letters, and small trinkets, scattered on the floor...

"What's going on?" Leon's voice echoed.

Axel saw the dust clearing. He immediately kicked and swiped away clues of the scattered contents under the mass of large items and glanced at the closing gardener with a natural look of panic.

"It's Roxas! We need to get these off his leg!"

Leon didn't ask what happened. He immediately took the job on himself. He grabbed the largest piece of wood within the rubble he can find and instructed Axel to use it as a lever to push out the pieces of wood. They did this three times and Roxas felt the pain in his leg greater though the pressured weight was gone now.

"He didn't break his leg," Leon muttered. "So I should be able to carry him to the infirmary. Roxas, are you awake?"

"Yea...but I feel like sleeping right now..." His voice sounded groggy as if he was half-asleep.

"Roxas!" Axel's heart pounded nervously.

"Are you...hurt, Axel?"

"Hurt?" he repeated, stunned. "You-you're the one down on the ground!"

Roxas just chuckled weakly. Only his lips moved.

"I'll carry you now, Roxas. Just stay calm and relax."

Leon proceeded to do so and Axel made hesitating steps to follow as guilt washed over him.

* * *

Roxas ended up with bruises on his arm from the result of the metallic chests and pieces of wood dropping on him when he protected his head. Aside from the leg, he has no serious wounds, but he wouldn't be walking for quite a while.

Leon reported it as an accident and immediately told that he will clean up the mess. As to what they were doing in an off-limits area was something to be dealt with by Roxas' Gardener. Axel immediately came to defend Roxas, but saying that to the school doctor wasn't going to change anything. That wouldn't be much of a problem for him, Axel thought. He can talk it through the school so that he won't risk Roxas' position (Axel knew Roxas _has_ a rather special position in his Bouquet).

The problem is what _was._

Roxas was transferred to the hospital that night and he hasn't seen Axel for two days (he thought he saw him, but he was dosed with painkillers. They were too blurry to remember).

Over the weekends that came right after, he was sent home with crutches. Even with crutches, Roxas didn't remain home and immediately wished he knew Axel's number, because he was worried that Axel might feel too guilty. He didn't really need Axel's apology, but he may need his forgiveness.

Roxas told his uncle about this, but he was reprimanded and told to wait for the Monday to come. Roxas would have to also bear the growth of rumors too.

When Monday came, Roxas didn't have to look for Axel. Axel greeted him immediately.

* * *

"Axel!" Roxas was swept with relief. He didn't want to look for him at all. Axel was looking fine and happy, so Roxas can't help but say, "You're okay!"

Axel wondered if Roxas checked who was the one in the hospital. "Of course, but I'm actually here to bring you bad news."

"What?"

"Principal's office."

* * *

Roxas had been in the principal's office more than once, but this was the first time it was due to a trouble he caused. Most of the time, they were congratulations for accomplishments (their Gardener likes sending him in the office...).

However, the principal of the school was the city's very own Ansem – Ansem the Wise, so he is often absent. Instead, there's the ever-serious and business-like vice-principal, Sai. The vice-principal makes very rare public appearances. The only times he can be seen is in the office – specifically, the vice principal's office and most students shivered right after they've seen him.

When they came in though, an old but loud voice was angrily demanding for the presence of the principal. Roxas doubted the man with grayish (with some patches of red) hair would be as loud if the vice principal was around...

Roxas knew he was Axel's father and took in the information that they were opposites. Axel's father wore a black and red suit and he was clean and flawless. His face however was slightly wrinkled from old age and weariness, yet the pair of emerald eyes looked like an angry dragon. Axel was strangely and eerily quiet, as if suppressing with force...

When the vice principal finally arrived (Roxas wondered where the blue-haired man was) Axel's father calmed down dramatically and matters were discussed as if no venting had even occurred. Roxas looked sharp and straight, ready to face even the eyes of Axel's father. However, Axel was...

* * *

"I know my son is a troublesome _fool _but why would the student entrusted to my son _allow_ him to make such mistake?" Axel's father demanded his voice quiet and slow.

Professor Sai was unfazed as usual. "The student was assigned to your son not as his personal bodyguard, but a guide. However, there is no denying that he, along with your son, went to the off-limits area." For a moment, Roxas felt Professor Sai's gaze on him.

"Look, it's my fault!" Axel blurted out, trying to sound testy, but even Roxas found a hint of anxiety in his voice. Strangely too, Axel's eyes refused to leave the floor. "I would go there whether he would come or not. He followed since he wouldn't just leave me alone, so he did nothing wrong!"

Roxas didn't need to glance at Professor Sai. He knew that man wouldn't break a single emotion. He looked at Axel's father instead.

Axel suffered under his father's gaze, knowing that he was indeed nothing but a disappointment, a trouble, and a waste of time...

* * *

Roxas made sure he apologized to both Professor Sai and Axel's father. He wished he could say something to lighten Axel's burden, but he was quite sure he would just make matter worse. After all, _no one _pointed out how that incident caused a serious injury on the student. Instead, everyone was concerned for Axel (who was completely unscratched) and an Iris student allowing him to enter an off-limits area (Iris student who was seriously injured, thank you very much). Even so, they were just concerned, right?

While Roxas didn't really feel bitter for the lack of sympathy for what happened to him, he felt that there was no need to emphasize on his fault and have Axel feel guilty. He knew he made a mistake, but Axel, for some reason, felt that he made a mortal sin.

Roxas spent the day joking around Axel, treating him like a servant (with a limit since his ego isn't too big for the real role) because he was a 'handi'. Roxas brought the topic up with Guitar Hero, too, and made a side joke about playing DDR or Dance Dance Revolution. Roxas accidentally admitted he wanted to learn how to break dance, which made Axel laugh because of the pun.

At the end of the day, Axel told Roxas he wanted to apologize to his uncle, so he accompanied him to be fetched.

* * *

"Rox, you're really out of character when you try to be funny."

Roxas knew that was coming. "Well, I was trying to cheer you up. Was it good enough?"

Axel threw Roxas' bag over his shoulder. "Yea. Thanks."

Roxas smiled. He was sat on the bench over the lawn in front of the school gates. Cars were flying past in front of them.

"I know there's something you're not telling me, but it's okay if you don't feel like sharing it." Axel remained quiet, starring at what Roxas could possibly be starring at too at the distance.

"So...you want to help me, too?"

Roxas quietly contemplated. "Yea..."

"..."

"That's my uncle's car."

"..."

"Axel, let's hang out again, okay?"

"Yea," he answered. Axel's head dropped. When he craned and stretched his neck out, the clownish grin returned in his face. "We should."

Roxas grinned back.

_

* * *

_

_This Thursday. Aerith's free and I can ditch school and job for a day. _

_Wisdom Avenue, 8am._

_Seph, please get a cellphone._

_Zack_

_**

* * *

**_

_**end of episode**_

_**

* * *

**_


	3. the girl named xion

Notes: chinky - apparantly a racist term. Okay, first there was negro, now chinky. What's up with racism in America? Those are all adjectives that suddenly denoted negative things...wth, but anyway, I'm Asian, so not being racist with anything.

* * *

**Episodes of Hearts**

**episode 3  
the girl named xion**

**

* * *

  
**

Ever since I was seven

I see…strange things

I don't know what they are, but you would call them…spirits

Monsters? Ghosts?

I never tried approaching them. I leave them alone as they leave me be

But one time, when I was seven,

I saw an angel

* * *

Here is another tale to be told, an addition to the episodes.

There's always something interesting about an individualized person. An individualized person always has something to do and to answer. For example, between two least favorite subjects, an individualized person is likely to give a clear idea why they are the least favorite. An individualized person is likely to explain through a comparison and share tidbits about life through the experiences the individualized person learned.

An individualized person has a lot to say.

This doesn't mean that the person is clearly outgoing, though this is most of the time true. There's the lack of insecurity and doubt in an individualized person.

Not a slave to the code of society, but her/his own.

Just what kind of life would an individualized _teenage __girl_ lives? Because most of the time there's barely anything stopping her.

But herself.

Did that make sense?

No.

* * *

"Good evening. Sorry for being late…again."

The girl was stricken with amusement as she looked up from the handheld device on her right hand. Her date returned the look with a suspicious arching eyebrow and the girl laughed – not too loud, but not too soft to be a chuckle.

"You can drop the formality if you want," she answered, switching her cellphone in her handbag immediately after she almost slipped it in her imaginary pocket. "Axel."

Axel raised a hand to call the waiter.

"Yes, sir, madam? What of this evening?"

"The red rose classic."

The girl nodded. "For two."

The waiter had filled their glasses with water, before leaving to deliver the order.

Axel then returned to address the girl. "You've got sharp eyes," he remarked.

"Not beautiful?" she teased slyly. Her voice was rather soft and little, something that Axel was trying to match.

"They're gorgeous," he said.

She laughed. "Geez, okay, stop trying to flirt with me. It's really ineffective."

Axel only observed the girl with a cool composure as if she hadn't suggested something odd in a date. He leaned his chest near the table and placed his arms crossed on the edge. "What works with you, then?"

"Simplicity," she answered finely. "Surely we can just talk. We barely did last time…and I liked it when you suddenly burst into laughter."

Axel cleared his throat. "About that, someone just made me _burst_ into laughter…" his voice dropped a bit and he made flickering gestures in the air as he retold of trivial things. "Some guy in the background. A random incident."

"Oh, really? How funny was it?"

"Very funny." Axel can't help but grin. "This guy was skateboarding and slipped on a banana peel."

The girl grinned slightly. "And he shot his head into an empty trash can?"

"Yea, but there's catch." Axel sipped on the glass of water. "The trash can wasn't empty."

"Haha. So he was much more exciting than I was?"

Axel shook his head immediately. "No, no," he said softly. "My eyes were all on you."

The girl's black brow shot to the air. She stayed still for a few seconds as if to wonder Axel's behavior with a cynical look. "Axel, I really don't like a man who lies." Her blue eyes stared at the man with sureness. "But I'll put up with this charade…a little longer."

Axel sat straight up and leaned on the chair. His reading, observant face did not change. "You should be more careful with what you say…and think, Xion."

The chinky-eyed girl named Xion leaned closer toward him this time. Though there might have been a threat or insult in what was said, Xion pleasantly kept a confident air and twinkle in her eyes. "I don't like a man who's a coward, too."

At this moment, Axel's bottle green eyes dangerously narrowed.

"I'm going to be a gentleman and ask you to leave."

Xion fixed her golden yellow dress and fingered through the ribbon around her waist. She was busy straightening her dress.

"No thanks," she said simply, and even Axel was taken back. Xion appeared to be constantly cheerful but blunt. "I'm pretty hungry."

Axel cleared his throat again and fiddled on his chair. His stature changed to that of a troubled teenager. "Xion, you're really an interesting girl-"

"Thaanks!"

Once again, the red-haired cleared his throat. "But as of this moment, I really don't like you…in a way we could be very happy about with our…situation."

"I feel the same."

Axel tapped the table with the fingers of his right hand. "So…getting engaged is just a total bad news for us…"

* * *

It was the third week of the month.

Roxas hadn't realized the good company he's been sharing with Axel until he was alone walking absent-mindedly in the Radiant Terrace, the large spherical inside-garden gymnasium in the heart of the school. It was the common place for all students where they spend breaks and free time together, or simply to idle around minutes before classes. The classrooms were located just on elevated platforms around the gymnasium, making it very convenient for students. Though the school was quite big, there wasn't a lot to walk from and to as a normal student.

Even though Radiant Terrace was the most beautiful and elegant place there was in Radiant Garden (with its symmetrical architecture and flower decoration, as well as the pensive light that passes through the transparent dome glass), Roxas had only wandered here for Iris duties. To be honest though, there wasn't a lot to report after break patrols, making it extremely boring. This wasn't at all something Roxas would really complain about, but he felt out of place and awkward in the sophisticated and peer-tight groups (or even the lone individuals or couples). He knew there were a few eyes watching him, but he only looked straight up, wishing they look away.

No, don't get him wrong – they weren't really treating him bad. They've done nothing wrong to offend him - the more he felt bad at the way he was acting indifferent and sometimes cold towards them on occasion.

One would quirk an eyebrow about how truth there was in this truth. The students of Radiant Academy were generally well-mannered, sophisticated, and mature (some random tendency to exaggerate a few things doesn't count). This was the common air surrounding the school, something that its quality had offered and given the children of the paying parents.

This was more of the reason why Roxas just felt out of place.

He didn't want to just sit and chat, or let a day pass by with nothing extraordinary happen. He begged to differ; he wanted _action_. He wanted movement, some noise, and a crowd laughing that echoed throughout the hallway. All the laughter he heard was muffled by the big space in the school. That was exactly it – this space was like void and empty instead of something _used_. It was odd – it was something very difficult to explain in detail.

Axel and he had never gone to this place enough for Roxas to hear Axel's comment of the atmosphere when the students from mixed Bouquets were around. He wondered if Axel would say the same thing as Roxas had in mind: it was too stiff.

So where was Axel? He is taking his ability and personality test – today and tomorrow. After that, Axel would be with his Bouquet and Roxas' new assignments would keep him busy. Roxas once asked Axel what Bouquet he would likely belong to. Axel didn't look like he really cared. Roxas secretly hoped Axel would be in the Iris Bouquet. He had a few friends in his Bouquet – most of them his seniors, but Axel was someone he would consider his first school mate and friend of his year (though Axel was technically a year older than him).

Roxas never had friends (or known anyone for certain) from other Bouquets. He knew Axel could make friends easily if he wanted too, but Roxas was just not as outgoing as he wanted to be.

Watch Roxas' reaction pop in when he saw Axel on a table with a girl he had never seen before. First tendency…eavesdropping!

* * *

"I found this in my room." She took out a pair of black, worn-out gloves. She looked up expectantly at Axel, but received no response. "Does it belong to you?"

"Why do you think it's mine?" he asked innocently. "Besides, it has a name stitched at the back."

By the way the black-haired girl reacted she was hoping he wouldn't point that out. She sighed inwardly and brought up what was bugging her. What had bugged her didn't seem to bother Axel as she had thought…but why would it?

"Uncle…ah, Professor Sai told me to give it to you. He said…I don't know if he was kidding, but he surely didn't look like he was...as if he ever…it's special to you, or should be. He said – quote and unquote, 'Worth a memory', - that's what he said."

Axel slowly smiled with a victorious, sly twinkle. "So you knew. What were you expecting when you showed them to me?"

"Oh, nothing," she hooted, which arouse Axel's suspicions. "Axel and _Elenar_. She sounds too sophisticated for you."

He immediately threw the case away with a roll of his eyes, snorting. "I seriously doubt that."

"Surely there was something!" she beamed exaggeratedly. In the teasing glitter in her face, a red blush ruined the cute face the girl wore and she could be mistaken to be close to salivating.

"Ew," Axel muttered at once. He could not suspect what caused the stupor look on her face, but he could not believe either when he saw it. What a silly exaggeration of shock had been however turned to a stricken look of surprise when Axel spotted a familiar figure speaking to Roxas.

The vice principal made a brief note of Axel and his company with the same aloof eyes. When their eyes met, Axel slightly frowned.

"Axel, he's looking at me!"

And sure enough, Roxas was. He was either confused or embarrassed (with reasons he can just feel) because the cute girl was pointing at Roxas like an adorable tarsier.

"Thank you." Professor Sai's humorless voice startled Roxas.

"No, it's okay, sir," Roxas replied meekly as the blue-haired man walk away like a ghost.

When the vice principal disappeared, Roxas caught Axel's gaze unexpectedly on something else different, a fixed look that told him that many things were going through his head. He wondered what it was, having missed the whole conversation when Professor Sai suddenly came up…

Feeling that Axel wasn't going to notice him anytime soon (whilst his friend whole-heartedly was), he awkwardly left as casual as he can.

* * *

It was 3 o'clock, classes having ended then. Roxas just came out of the boys' locker room after an exhausting PEAT (Physical Ed and Training) exercise. Even though Roxas' wasn't really one who can't throw a ball, the fact is their Bouquet spends the subject with the Sunflower Bouquet. Even though the Sunflower Bouquet was laughed as to have the gayest of all flowers (men of the group do not like being reminded of what orange for them stands for), they are the most talented in terms of sports. Normally, classes are spent with at least three bouquets, but their PEAT teacher probably requested that…since Wakka was Iris Bouquet's Gardener.

And when you have a passive-persistent rival from Sunflower Bouquet as your partner in PEAT under the watch of a biased professor, well…

Roxas made his way to Iris Hill, walking through the Iris Garden. Once more, sounds of the students vanished as soon as he was out of the building and in their domain. However, Roxas heard girlish laughter inside the garden…

* * *

"He sounds like a typical boy," the red-haired girl laughed, showing her pearly white teeth.

"Well, a bit of a gentleman," a familiar figure replied. "Kind of like Roxas, but happier and…kind of idiotic."

Of course, having heard his name, Roxas stopped and raised both his eyebrows. As if they knew he spotted them, the two girls stopped to notice his presence.

"Hey…" Roxas waved slightly. The red-haired girl wasn't familiar for him. She looked like a foreigner, wearing bring, tropical clothes that revealed her arms, belly, and legs with the double-layered silk top and long skirt of hers...

The familiar face between the two almost laughed, but took all those in with a mouth full of giggles and greeted back. "Hey there, Roxas!"

"Oh, so this is the Roxas I've heard of. He's cute."

"No, he's not! He's handsome!"

Roxas blushed in embarrassment, but not for the reason he was debated as cute or handsome, but because Mulan was being sisterly in front of a stranger.

"Look, he's blushing…" Mulan whispered, but having heard her voice, Roxas doubt she wanted to keep what she said in secrecy. Her companion giggled, which made Roxas blush harder. It was bad enough he was normally meek.

Mulan, finally satisfied, put her hands on her hips. "Well then, we should go to our Castle together. Roxas, this is Ariel, third year – so it's okay if she thinks you're cute. She prefers older men."

Ariel shoved Mulan friendly with pinkish cheeks. "It's not like that, but I'm taken!"

"A new student?" Roxas asked Mulan, really unfamiliar with the student.

"No, she came back to the school. She was here two years ago, but she transferred to a far-off school for her…"

"Prince charming!" Ariel finished, sighing dreamily.

"Huh?" was all Roxas could say.

"Besides," Ariel said firmly, breaking from her dreamy state all of a sudden. "I didn't like being in this enclosed walls. There are so many things out there to explore! Look at these clothes! I bought them from Destiny Islands – do you know where that is? _He_ and I went there together – oh such a great beach! I love the sea there! It was so salty, so fresh and the sun – oh the sun when it set!"

"Okay, okay, you already told me that!" Mulan grumbled, rolling her eyes. Roxas smiled, knowing Mulan was never really into _details_ when it comes to the subject. "C'mon, Roxas."

* * *

The three of them arrived in the Castle with Ariel complaining at how much smaller theirs were compared to other Bouquets. Roxas didn't have any assignments and no one seem to be hanging any either, but Roxas separated from the girls to go to his room.

Each Castle is built to have rooms and basic housing for all students, because most Bouquet activities are held overnight. Some days of summer are also spent inside the Castle. Unlike the other Bouquets though, Iris does not separate the women and men rooms. They're arranged according to brooch instead, like how other Bouquets arrange their rooms.

Roxas is a silver brooch Iris student, so his room is located in the third floor. There was only one student in his year who was a silver brooch, too. The other few silver-brooch students were his seniors. There were only three gold brooch students, and two of which were in the sixth year and the other is in the fifth.

There was no way to access above floors but from the ground floor, except for the elevator which is password protected. It was like an airport in the Castle. The halls go to one direction and make up a small labyrinth, and then a hall would be filled with chairs and tables, food and drink machines, and round staircases. The staircase to the third floor nearest to his room was by the east wing, which were three lefts and two rights alternatively.

Iris Castle didn't seem to be so practical, but in case of emergencies, the administrators decided to answer that with the Moogle technology called Rabbit Hole. Whether it's going up or down, just jump and make sure not to bite your tongue. The thinner one is the less painful is the Rabbit Hole trip.

After five minutes, Roxas reached the corridor and entered his room, room no. thirteen.

He pocketed his keys and saw that the room was untouched just as he left it last summer. The silver brooch rooms were nicer compared to those below. It was wide enough to fit a real bed, a table and chair, a desk just near the elegant, ivory-curtained window, a large, square black-and-white carpet, and a small bathroom. Roxas had scanned the room with a small smile before turning to check the mailbox on the wall. He opened the lid and found a single envelope.

Roxas wasn't really surprised. He was quite sure it wasn't an Assignment that he was never able to do. Most of the time, they were mails from his Bouquet.

When Roxas read it, it was no letter, but…

"_Can you help me find a cat?"_

_

* * *

  
_

"A cat?"

Roxas nodded. "But that's all it said."

"It's probably just a joke," Axel answered simply from the other line. "So what are you doing?"

Roxas leaned back, eyes starring at the text in Wikipedia. Axel and he have been making use of their microphones to communicate over the Internet at home. No one uses phones nowadays; how can you possibly multi-task?

"Looking up that literary piece we read. I _couldn't_ understand a single thing, honestly."

Axel laughed mockingly from the other hand. "I'm sure it was hard."

"Haha. Well, how was the exam?" Roxas' thoughts soon focused on the scene between the mysterious salivating girl and Axel.

"Boring…what did Sai tell you?"

"Wow, haha, you shouldn't address the vice principal like that. He's not exactly very nice."

"Okay, _Professor_ Sai."

"He was asking about the mysterious guy I saw weeks ago in the school." Roxas grabbed for his bag and took out his math homework. "You probably saw me…slipping on the banana peel…but I was chasing some guy in black robes. I thought he was a theft, but nothing was missing from the school. I just saw him snooping around, and then he probably noticed me, and ran off…"

"What? So the rumors then were true?"

"A little bit of it, anyway, but the guy didn't strike me with a pipe or whatever modification each rumor came up with."

"Yea, you slipped on a banana peel," laughed Axel.

"So what were you thinking?"

"Ha?"

"I saw you…starring into space. I thought you didn't notice me, but since you knew Professor Sai had talked to me…"

"A few things in my head."

Then Roxas decided to start a new subject, particularly the first number in the assignment in math.

* * *

Roxas came by in early, trying to see if a cat existed around. There were rarely stray animals in the whole of Radiant Garden. There were birds and bees, but other animals were quite non-existent. He even stopped by Leon, who was idly sitting on a wooden stool beside a small gardening shed. Roxas thought Leon saw one, having been asked what the cat looked like. Roxas didn't know though, but asked if Leon have really seen one. He just said, "Maybe".

Roxas went through the Radiant Terrace, only to find a single student among the chairs in spherical grassy garden…

The mysterious salivating girl.

She was drawing something, but – though curious as he is, he was too shy to approach her. He just pretended he didn't see her, but his lone footsteps – initially ignored, were heard.

* * *

"Oh, hi there! Sorry I didn't see you," she said warmly, closing her drawing book. "You're Axel's friend, right?"

Having mentioned Axel, it made it easier for Roxas to reply. He walked down the pearly white-tiled platform, shoes crushing the grass, and meekly approached. "Yea…you?"

"Friend," she grinned. "But we're engaged."

Roxas' eyes quietly went wider than marbles. The girl guffawed at the reaction, mysteriously bearing pinkish cheeks that Roxas soon had.

"You were so funny and cute! You were like – " The girl imitated Roxas' reaction while making a dumb zombie-like groan. "Lol! If only you've seen the look in your face!"

People using Internet language, not so common. "Um…really?"

"Yea!" She grinned wider. She pulled her hair behind her ear and offered her hand. "I'm Xion."

"Xion?" Roxas asked to check if he heard right, in which Xion nodded. "How do you spell that?"

"X-i-o-n."

"That's a unique name. I'm Roxas," he said, shaking the offered hand.

"Roxas," she repeated, burying it in her memory. "R-o-x-a-s? Sora?"

And all of a sudden, Roxas shivered. "What?" he asked quietly.

"Well, if you get rid of the 'x', it can become Sora," Xion explained, not noticing Roxas' discomfort.

"Oh…" Roxas tried to smile. Xion was very friendly. "If you get rid of the 'x' in Xion…"

"No one."

"No one? From i-o-n?"

"If you spell as it as n-o-I, it can be read as _no_ one. As in the I like the number."

"I thought it would be _number_ one. N-o for _number_."

Xion chuckled. "Number one!" she repeated and the word cued laughter.

Roxas laughed a bit. "Yea, you must be number one."

The two shared a friendly laughter together. Roxas' eyes always move from Xion's blue eyes to the grassy surface, standing on right-then-left foot. Xion seemed to be very outgoing. Her eyes were always in direct eye-contact.

"I'm new around here. Just like Axel," Xion shared. "What Bouquet are you?"

"Iris."

"I got into the Sakura Bouquet," Xion grinned. She pulled up her closed drawing book. The cover was plain black, lots of pages that make up the thick book were joined together by a white spiral. "Drawing much."

"You already know the results?" Roxas asked. If she does, does Axel know?

"Well, I'm related to the higher-ups. Let's keep that a secret though!" she said in a hush.

"Sure."

"So, what's up?" Xion asked conversationally. "You can sit down." Xion gestured gently to the chair across her.

Roxas was about to impulsively reject the offer, but his head mysteriously nodded and he sat there a bit uncomfortably. It was mentioned he barely stayed in the Radiant Terrace, because he felt out of place, but there was only two of them…

"Oh, were you busy?" the girl suddenly asked, guilt appearing in her face.

Roxas blinked, hastily shaking his head. "No, no, not really. I was looking around."

"Looking for something?" Xion tilted her head.

"Well, a cat…"

Xion pulled out her pencil and opened her drawing book on her lap. "Could you describe the cat, sir?" she asked in a suave voice, narrowing her eyes and scratching her chin.

Roxas can't help but smile. "I actually don't know what it looks like." But Xion began drawing on the paper. "What are you drawing?"

"Shh," she said. "Is the cat fat?"

"Yea, with stripes," Roxas answered, deciding to play along. Xion stopped and initially raised her eyes to Roxas. Immediately after though, Xion went back to drawing.

"Yes, yes…a fat, striped-cat with a mischievous pair of knowing eyes that glows in the dark, and a…a thick tail like a small pillow. A cat with a grin…well, I believe here he is!"

Roxas leaned over to examine the revealed page of a sketchy tree (the one near the well in the school) with – indeed, a fat cat with a grin. He could see the form of the cat grinning up in the tree, but he was amazed that there were barely any lines that drew the cat, yet he knew – even without artistic sense, that there was a fat, grinning cat.

"Wow, that's very accurate!" Roxas complimented.

"So I have a future now?" Again, this cue laughter between them. "You're missing one more in the picture!" Xion pointed the tip of her pencil to a space in the paper.

Roxas followed where the pencil was pointed at and found a full-body sketch of him looking up at the cat. His clothes and faces lacked details, but the figure and hair was definitely recognizable.

"You drew me?"

"That's you finding the cat," Xion explained. "If you visualize it in your mind and believed, it will happen! Here." Xion tore the page out of the book and handed it to Roxas.

"Is this okay?" Roxas asked, accepting the page.

"Of course!" Xion laughed. "I drew it, after all."

"Thanks," Roxas said, starring at the image. "It's really nice!" He was really amazed at the detail. Not that he was a fan of art, but the drawing gave him such an impact. It was strange, really. He didn't notice he was grinning with an open mouth, until he looked up and saw Xion starring at him with a watchful smile. Roxas realized this and blinked with a blush. Xion almost blushed as well, pretending to cough, but the smile in her face wouldn't disappear.

"You've got a nice smile," Xion said. Before Roxas' reaction can be deciphered, Xion laughed. "Lol, surely that's something a guy hitting on a girl would normally say, no? But lol, not what I meant. I was just being honest. You look like a little boy who got an embrace from his admirable mother."

"Is this an artist thing or something?" Roxas slowly said, smiling unsurely.

"I guess," Xion sighed, shrugging. "C'mon, give me your hand."

"Er…why?" Roxas asked, obeying anyway.

"Can I remove your glove?"

Roxas was now red in the face. "Er…why?" he asked again, this time sounding more ridiculous.

"I'm just going to read your palm!" Xion answered, though she was probably trying to create embarrassment intentionally.

Slowly, Xion pulled the glove off. Fortunately Roxas' hand wasn't sweating. For some reasons he felt hot and his heart pounding. He watched her pull off his glove, starting from end. When he glanced to her face, he saw her intently starring on his palm. Roxas swallowed…

Xion held onto his hand with two of her hands. She appeared as if she was massaging the palm, but there was a hint of mystic in her face.

"We have a lot of things in common…" she said quietly, in which Roxas can't help but feel a cold chill in his spine. He could tell that Xion was serious, serious enough to make Roxas believe the eerie statement.

"Oi, what are you two doing?"

"Axel!" Roxas jumped off his foot and Xion was just as startled. When Axel looked over their faces and Roxas' right glove in Xion's hand, Roxas flushed. "It's not what it looks like!" He panicked, having then remembered the two were engaged.

"Well, well, Roxas…" Axel grinned devilishly.

Roxas glanced at Xion then at Axel. "Axel…" He breathed in. He wasn't sure how he got in and would get out of this situation, but he should straighten it out. "I don't have any special interest with her."

Two pairs of eyebrows went up. One of the persons stood up and left, the other gave both a shocked face.

"Oh, Roxas, Roxas…" Axel said again, shaking his head and sighing.

Roxas blinked, turning around and seeing Xion go. "Xio—" Axel's heavy arm fell on Roxas' shoulder. He felt the taller guy's weight crushing him.

"Roxas, I guess this is your first time…" Axel said. Roxas didn't know how Axel gets in times like this, but he can sense that Axel wouldn't appreciate what he thought they were doing. "You know, Roxas, me and Xion are engaged. Meaning, we're meant to get married in the not-so-distant future…"

"Axel, I told you--!"

"_And_ it means as long as we're engaged, no one can take her from me…"

Roxas shut his eyes tight. It was coming. Discussions were over.

"…except you, my best man."

* * *

After classes that day, Roxas went to the tree according to the picture Xion drew. He didn't really believe he was going to find anything, but wasn't that the thought that Xion would tell him not to think? Roxas looked up at the tree, exactly how he had according to the picture. He visualized the tree and how lines magically formed the figure of a fat, striped cat and its grin. His blue eyes searched through the leaves. Lines began to reach for each other and he spotted a whole new form that stared at him.

It was a grin of a cat.

"_Would you look at that. I've been found!"_

Roxas watched that grin move.

"_Had any help?"_

Roxas nodded.

"_Hmm, well, you should look _through_ everything!"_

As if the cat had pointed it out, Roxas decided to look at the back page. A chill of strong wind blew, carrying the cat's body, only to leave a grin up in the trees. But Roxas was starring at the image at the back, of a sword screwed on a humanoid chest, pierced through. Arms of the man were limp and black blood gush out of the impaled wing on its back. One of its eyeballs had rolled to its hand, missing two fingers. The head appeared to have been shaved too deep that the scalp has been carved.

It was a black and white sketch, with a brutally murdered angel, yet the background held a serene, peaceful sunshine. There were swirls and thick brushes that symbolized the wind, which covered most of the image.

Roxas was _horrified._

_

* * *

  
_

His skateboard hit the door. Roxas grabbed it, opened the door, and past the dining room.

"Good evening, Roxas," greeted his uncle.

Roxas greeted back without much zeal, seeing him do his usual solitaire games with his cards. His uncle was simply a card collector…and all those kind.

"It's your turn to cook dinner, if you recall," Roxas heard him say as he was halfway the stairs.

"Yea…sorry about that…" Roxas heard his uncle stand from the sofa. He turned his head around and saw his uncle frowning concernedly with his arms crossed. He couldn't look at him in the eye. "I…don't have much appetite." Upon saying that, a bitter aftertaste shook him.

"Perhaps some sweets then as appetizer?" his uncle suggested. "You cannot go to sleep without eating. It's rule number 4, Roxas."

"I know…"

His uncle slightly smiled, his yellow bear stretching. "How about seafood noodles? Just so we can at least follow rule number 2."

Roxas slightly smiled and agreed. Rule number 2 was to talk about problems, but he'd be breaking rule number 1.

Lying.

* * *

_I heard you from the news. I guess we won't be seeing each other for a while._

_Sephiroth the hero, haha. I guess I'll start pulling extra-weights, just so I can finally get to Balamb._

_Make sure not to forget yet_

_- Zack_

_

* * *

**end of episode

* * *

**_


	4. the patrol assignment

**Author's Note:** READ the chapter first before noticing this. I just want to put the Author's Note above. If nothing bothers you, SKIP THIS NOTE!

Once you've read, follow the dots…in case you're confused (IF it's BOTHERING you), 'Official Studies' is the term coined by the students where they meet their new teachers for the curriculum. A month is spent with their teachers from last year, reviewing the topics discussed and to be discussed. Orientation is included. By the second month, OS begins instantly.

The next chapter's supposed to explain OS, but in case it would bother you, I put up an explanation here.

2nd – lots of characters here, but just read through. It won't really be confusing. No OC's, don't worry.

**

* * *

Episodes of Hearts**

**episode 4  
the patrol assignment**

**

* * *

  
**

The moon arrived by the presence of the sun. Rhymes and forms danced in the air as the notes rise and fall in an ascending flare. Every corner of the musical room listened to the harmonious melody of the produce of the piano. No lone being outside the room could ignore the grace in the air that marred inalienable restlessness, music that could pull any to slumber.

After twelve seconds however the calm maids shrieked and jumped as the alarm went off. The ballroom was about to begin, and they were out of time! Horses galloped in such strange rhythm and each maiden shoe of princesses that sped up the stairs of the grand castle controlled the tic-tac of the clock, going back and forth. Plates and utensils moved on their own and there were arguments what the color of the displayed roses should be. In a random quirk the old crocodile, gray and sluggish came early and began drinking the wine from the fountain.

All notes were startled at the opera-screech that broke that atmosphere. The door blasted itself open and elephant feet smashed the whole parade. The notes crashed and the pianist stumbled backward, fortunately hands taking the blow than the unfortunate head.

"WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!" a deep, old-lady-like voice criticized with loud, harsh claps. Her hair was white and old, she was big and quite fat, but her skin was flawless. Though her eyes and lips were smudged with make-up, her face had a beauty mark that was at one point lovely, but her whole presence was intimidating. She moved with her black gown touching the smooth, wooden floor while dramatically making gestures in the air, her armpits visible with her shoulders naked and bear.

"Madame Ursula!" the pianist almost squealed, his face paling.

"That was a horrible, HORRIBLE, piece! What have you _done_ with it?" her booming voice exploded. "Oooh, such a shame!" her mood swung to that of despair, a hand on her face. "Yet, you play with such elegance and expertise…and yet, THIS!"

"I'm not really musically inclined…"

Madame Ursula rolled her eyes. The tips of her finger massaged her temples wearily. "Such a waste of talent! And you're fourteen! Do you have any idea what talent you're wasting, Roxas?"

Roxas knew, but he didn't think he had a talent good enough to be wasted.

* * *

"Hellloooo, Roxas?"

"Huh?" Roxas looked away from the television, which has been off for the past two minutes. "Oh." He realized. "What did you say?"

"I was going to say the first bell just rang-"

Roxas jumped to his feet, shaking the wooden boxes. "Axel, tell it to me sooner!" The new student was still idly sat down.

"But since Miss Trepe switched for tomorrow's free period instead, we have one hour to kill." Axel finished, watching Roxas' face chance to yet another realization and 'oh'.

Roxas didn't sit back down. He just stared at the ground instead. Axel stared at it too, but it wasn't because he was finding the ground as fascinating as Roxas does.

"I actually already know Bouquet I got in," Axel brought up.

Roxas blinked. "What?" He then said in surprise, "You do?"

Axel smirked, having baited Roxas' apparent-short-attention-span-right-now. "Yea…but…" he exaggerated, making sure to draw in an annoying, unnecessary suspense. "I'm not telling you." He stood up and looked at eye-level with Roxas. "Unless you tell me what's been bugging you."

Roxas crossed his arms. "You're bluffing."

Axel crossed his arms as well, imitating Roxas. "I'm _not._"

Roxas scowled. There was no reason for him to fall for it, even if Axel knew. He could guess he asked Xion about it, but having brought the name up in his head, he sank into his thoughts again.

The last thing Roxas heard was the second bell ringing. When Roxas raised his head, Axel was gone and the door was shut, as if it was banged close.

* * *

"Tomorrow's going to be the last…" Zidane muttered while starring at the empty can of coke in his hand.

"What?" came the instant response. "Oh, you mean the official studies."

"You have it easy," Zidane said, shooting the can on an empty trash bin. It missed. "There goes my first omen."

The young man rolled his eyes. He exhibited his habit of scratching his hair, which can somehow explain why his grayish hair was so unkempt. He also has an unshaved bear above his lips. "How is it easy? Being a golden brooch doesn't mean anything…well, but status and all," he shared a grin with Zidane at that statement.

"Still haven't won _her_ heart though," Zidane pointed out slyly, causing his company's smile drop. "Realistically, it's not gonna happen. You have the style of some rogue and you smell like toilet. And don't tell me it's because your family's not rich. I'm sure you have soap and water."

"Hey, now, Zidane, c'mon! You're looking as if it's going to be _the_ end this year!" the golden-brooch said in a confident, hushed voice. "Who knows? After graduating, it might actually be the start!"

"Do you even know where she's going after graduating?" the blond questioned skeptically.

"Next week, I'm gonna find out!" he answered optimistically.

Zidane dropped his right elbow on the table and plopped his chin on it. He scanned the room full of several Iris students lazily. There were mostly guys. It was sad the students in the common rooms in the Iris Castle have a silent tradition of splitting up by gender-friends. Though there were girls passing through, they were in tight, friendship groups.

"If there's anything to look forward to next week, is that new SSH professor…I hope it'd be her teaching us. Professor Rafiki's good, but having spent five years of my life with him, a new, hot female teacher would be a nice change."

"Aren't you babysitting a new student? A _babe_ for that matter?"

"Yea…huh? It's Roxas," Zidane mumbled, straightening up. The said boy was alone (nothing new about that) on a table in the corner. "His presence sure is quiet today."

The tousled young man craned his neck. "Mm…that popular Roxas kid. Yea, looks like he's been down for a while…but not that he hasn't always _been_." He offered a grin, expecting Zindane to be in the same line of thought. "He's so serious with his assignments."

Zidane plopped his chin back on his palm. "Yea, that's what I thought too…" He pondered, starring at Roxas, trying to get a clue of what was in his mind. "Hey, Homer," he called quietly.

Homer's eyes widened, his face sickened. "Oh man, I told you not to call me that. It's _Tramp_—"

"You watched the youth festival last year?" Zidane asked, a finger now tapping the surface of the table in an annoying matter. Tramp's eyeballs bounced like a ball, watching Zinda'e impatient tapping.

"Yea," he answered, somehow curious where the conversation was going now.

"The _Perfect Heart_ play?"

"Yup."

Zidane's finger stopped. He leaned toward the table and his face looked like it was holding in a secret. Tramp leaned closer, eager to hear what the juice is about.

"He was the one playing the score…" Nothing was new there. Everyone knew that Roxas was quite talented with the piano. Madame Ursula was crazy about it.

Zidane was in a dramatic pause. He's not yet done.

"Yea, and, and?" Tramp asked like an excited little child.

Zidane placed a finger on his lip. Tramp's eyes enlarged. Both the men looked around to see if anyone was eavesdropping.

"I taught him how to play the piano," the blond said.

Tramp pulled back, arching an eyebrow. "So?"

Zidane knew Tramp didn't quite get what was the big deal about it. He sighed, shaking his head at Tramp's idea.

"He was _horrible_ when I taught him. And really, I wasn't teaching. He just asked me how to play the piano every now and then whenever we're near the music room…and suddenly, he was some kind of…"

"Prodigy?" Tramp suggested. "Nothing new, really, Zidane…"

"No, it's nothing like that!" A flush of annoyance appeared in his face. "I can just feel it. Something was…"

"Don't tell me you're jealous!" Tramp laughed.

Zidane just stood up and walked to the quiet silver brooch. He heard Tramp calling him, to stop what he was going to do. Zidane wasn't planning to do what Tramp had in mind though.

"Hey, Roxas." Zidane placed a hand on the quiet boy's shoulder. Unexpectedly, Roxas jumped to his feet upon touch, and Zidane came on his instinct and jumped a foot away. "Woah, sorry."

Roxas blushed slightly, scratching the back of his head. "No, sorry…"

"Erm…" Zidane walked up to Roxas, thinking of a way to ease the awkwardness. He wondered if he should talk to him next time around, when he's less jumpy. "Were you busy?"

"Not…really…" Finally, Roxas looked straight at him, probably wondering why Zidane came up. Zidane nodded inwardly, now taking his chance to strike a conversation.

"So…how's that transfer student doing?"

"You mean Axel?"

"Yea."

"He's fine, I guess…" Roxas was starring at him in the eyes, trying to see where this was coming.

"Well, you know, he probably hasn't told you, but he's actually engaged."

"I know…"

Zidane was taken back a bit. "Err, he told you?"

"No…his…fiancé did."

Zidane was quiet for a few seconds. "You mean Xion?"

"You've been hitting on her?" Roxas blurted out, at which he was rewarded with a brutal arm lock. "Ou-ouch! Zidane!"

"I could punch you right now, Roxy," Zidane threatened in gritted teeth. Roxas surrendered with multiple apologies, relieved on the pain upon silent forgiveness.

"Sorry," Roxas said sheepishly, trying not to show his grin. "But what's your…how did you know Xion?"

Zidane's suspicious eyes told Roxas he was thinking of the same for him, which made Roxas look away. This confirmed something was up.

"She's my assignment," he answered, deciding to take his turn to ask later with a poker face. Another unexpected thing though, Roxas' gloomy air suddenly lightened to elation. Zidane was taken aback once more.

"How was she to you?"

This wasn't something he expected from the popular, celebrity icon, silver brooch Iris student. Zidane wondered if…

"Certainly friendly." Zidane hastily rephrased, "As friends, and that."

"Did she show you anything?" Roxas asked quickly, showing a burst of eagerness.

Though normally cool and composed, a bomb like this one would make anyone's face stand frozen and shock. Zidane had discussed these matters with men of his age, but to be questioned so blatantly by his junior was just shocking in different ways.

Zidane didn't know how extreme his face responded to that question, but Roxas shied away at the silence Zidane gave. Roxas uneasily scratched his chin, taking in a deep breath. Not too soon, a hammer knocked Zidane awake again. He cleared his throat, finally catching himself and now thinking how to settle this as maturely and safe as possible.

"She didn't, and I'm sure she wouldn't…why don't you talk, Roxas?" Zidane gave in. Maybe he'll just shut up and try to digest what he's about to hear.

Roxas looked like he didn't know where to start. "I'm…bothered…"

"_Yes, Roxas, I am VERY bothered, too…"_

"It was…I…I'm not trying to be rude for who she is, but it was disturbing…"

"_Yes, Roxas, I find this VERY disturbing, too…"_

"I just don't know her well enough, but…" A pinkish blush surfaced in his cheeks as he thought deeper. "I want to…"

"ROXAS!"

Roxas straightened up. Two hands gripped supportively and tightly his shoulders. Both men were stiff.

Zidane stared at the junior's blue eyes, shaking and anxious.

"Just…do what you think is best…right andapropriate."

Zidane tried to smile, he really did, and he was very good of it. He thought he was convincing enough to make Roxas accept the offer to smile.

"I guess…thanks…" the last word was faded as he sank into thoughts, and finally, to action. "Thanks, Zidane." Then Roxas left.

Seeing Roxas left, Tramp stood up and looked at Zidane's face.

"So, how'd it go?"

"…"

* * *

"Haha, Tramp, you're pulling my leg."

"I'm serious, Jack! It's what Zidane told me!"

Jack Skellington was the tallest man in the school. He was enthusiastic, creative, and optimistic, but quite clumsy. When he says, "Oops", everyone says, "Uh-oh".

"Hm, well, we were exactly the same when we were sophomores!" Jack exclaimed, walking through the corridor in the silver-brooch floor. Tramp had the usual difficulty like other people had, of following Jack's quick legs and chinning up to look at him.

"No way! Okay, maybe a little." Tramp squeezed his thumb and pointing finger together. "But it's _Roxas_. You know, that kid who skates like he's riding a car and plays the piano like Mozart…"

"The piano? We could use him for the youth festival, or our special graduation day! You know, to do something…_epic_!" Jack spread his arms dramatically. As usual, he always takes things at a different, abnormal angle.

"Zidane was right when he said he was a little off. You know, I think Roxas…well, he's THAT popular after all. But, but _ASIDE_ from the piano and board, don't you know how he got his silver brooch?"

Jack put a finger on his chin, pretending to think. "Hmm, not really!"

"He _dueled_ Li SHANG! A golden brooch! You know, THE Li Shang. Of course, Roxas can't just climb up to be a golden brooch, and Li Shang didn't just _lose_ his brooch…no one really knows the details."

Soon, Jack stopped and gestured to the door in front of them, which has silvery letters: Number XIII

"That's nice and interesting Tramp, but as you can see, there's nothing really odd about him. He's just unique, just like me!"

"Number 13…" Tramp read by the door. "It can't be a coincidence," Tramp insisted superstitiously. "He gets in a lot of unlucky situations, you know."

"And he gets out just as luckily," Jack answered, shaking off the idea easily again. "It's completely _normal_. It's like that yin-and-yang thing."

"So what are we doing here?" Tramp asked, still not discouraged by any of Jack's explanations.

Jack raised a golden envelope, which contains a rose red seal. "I need to hand him an Assignment."

"Woah…" Tramp stared at the envelope in awe. "That's…"

"Well, I'm sure you're already familiar with it. Here we go, there!" Jack slid in the envelope through the mouth of the mailbox.

"Who handed it to you?" Tramp asked, as he followed Jack who nonchalantly went off.

"You know that's supposed to be a secret!" Jack said, waving a long, bony finger at his friend. "Handing out Assignments is a matter of responsibility and trust," Jack explained, with a nod to confirm his emphasis on it.

"Well, I'm completely convinced," Tramp declared to Jack who was still indifferent about the matter.

"Completely convinced about what?" Jack asked conversationally as if he never paid real attention at all. He was thinking of the speech they practiced for their Speech and Drama class, but he's always been too talkative to stop talking.

The pair reached the ground floor and made a turn to the exit hallway. Lunch break was almost over.

Tramp crossed his arms as a serious (almost comical) look appeared on his face. "That _something_ is up with Rox—"

The two were forced to stop on their stops as a white blur surprised had sped past them before crashing on the wall and falling limply on the cold floor. Jack took a bit of time to just stand in half-amazement and half-shock, while Tramp immediately checked if a pulse was still beating.

"Hey, hey, you okay?" Tramp asked urgently, nudging the student by the shoulder.

"A skateboard?" Jack questioned, examining the two broken halves. One of the four wheels was also missing.

Tramp frowned. "Hey, skateboarding's not allowed!"

"Aw, you love skateboarding," Jack pointed out.

"Yea, well, this guy's a stupid amateur…"

They heard the student groaned. The two directed back their attention to the boy, who Tramp helped turn over and sit up. Upon close inspection, the two recognized him.

"Roxas?" both exclaimed. Tramp grimaced. "What happened to you?"

"There was a rabbit." Roxas felt the painful part in his head and flinched upon touching a new bump.

"A rabbit," Tramp repeated, dripping with skepticism.

"It's different. It had…a monocle on, and clothes. It was in a rush…" Suddenly, he straightened up, remembering something. "I think it dropped its watch somewhere!" And he began to scan the obviously empty hallway.

"Uh…I think he hit his head too hard," Jack whispered to Tramp.

Tramp was intrigued though. Or maybe this was part of Roxas' case as a gifted child.

Roxas then noticed his board – now splintered into a pair of halves. Roxas' mouth dropped. "My board…"

"Oh, here," Jack handed it to Roxas, in which he accepted as if it was most fragile baby there is. "Erm…" Roxas looked like as if his most prized possession was broken. It might even be true, in this case. "What's the emergency, Roxas?"

"Huh?"

"You were skateboarding," Tramp pointed out.

"Shang told me about my new Assignment, but I haven't received the letter yet. I forgot to check my mail today…"

"I put it in," Jack told Roxas. "It's just a patrol assignment, but of course, I don't know the exact details. You know, silver brooch, just like you, haha."

"_Shang_ gave you that envelope?" Tramp accused Jack.

"Oops," Jack let out (and the world outside said 'uh-oh'). "Oh well, letting you know isn't going to cost me anything, since you're a golden brooch like Shang."

"A patrol assignment?" Roxas asked. "Thanks," he told Tramp, who offered him a hand to stand up.

"Patrols are normal…but if it's specifically an Assignment…with a golden envelope, for that matter…" Tramp thought out loud.

"Do you know anything about it?" Roxas questioned, looking at the gray-haired young man.

Tramp scratched his nose habitually. "I'll probably find out later after classes, but seriously, Iris assignments don't really mean much. You just get to waste time on a lot of things."

"What about Shang giving the Assignment?" Roxas asked.

"Shang's serious with his duties, coming from the military and all," Tramp answered, shrugging. "Hm, kind of like you."

"He's got a point there," Jack agreed.

"Is there any particular reason why you're taking all these seriously, Roxas?" Tramp asked skeptically.

"Huh?" Roxas' reply came again. He didn't talk to 'Tramp' much, so this sudden interrogation caught him by surprise.

Tramp showed Roxas five fingers. "We have the Sakura Bouquet. Their Assignments are full of opportunities. Performances, gallery displays, forums. There's the Sunflower Bouquet. Lots of gaming, practices, cleaning – lots of limelight. Lotus Bouquet – shady, quiet, sure, but aside from the geeks in the Bouquet, they're a smart bunch and their Assignments are top-secret, but, of course there were rumors, _but_ I can confirm that their Assignments involve lots of research and _hands-on_. Daisy Bouquet – _much worse_ than our Bouquet. Assignments are all about meditation, optimism, confession…I guess it's kind of like Iris, except there's a _lot_ of talking and thinking involved.

"Now, Iris Bouquet – the Bouquet of potential leaders and great followers. Our Assignments? Peacemakers, babysitters, scouts, naggers, tattle-tellers, helpers, nannies..." He stopped, as if having proven a point to the confused Roxas. "Why do you take them so seriously?"

Roxas hesitantly shrugged, simply answering with a shy, meek smile. He didn't really want to answer that, not to them, anyway.

* * *

Thankfully, the bell rang and forced them to disperse. Only Jack made the honest goodbye and farewell, being indifferent and apathetic to whatever mood had settled.

The moon arrived by the presence of the sun. Rhymes and forms danced in the air as the notes rise and fall in an ascending flare. Every corner of the musical room listened to the harmonious melody of the produce of the piano. No lone being outside the room could ignore the grace in the air that marred inalienable restlessness, music that could pull any to slumber.

After twelve seconds however the calm maids shrieked and jumped as the alarm went off. The ballroom was about to begin, and they were out of time! Horses galloped in such strange rhythm and each maiden shoe of princesses that sped up the stairs of the grand castle controlled the tic-tac of the clock, going back and forth. Plates and utensils moved on their own and there were arguments what the color of the displayed roses should be. In a random quirk the old crocodile, gray and sluggish came early and began drinking the wine from the fountain.

All notes were startled at the high-pitch scream that broke that atmosphere. But fortunately, no elephant feet destroyed the whole parade.

"I'm so sorry!" came the voice.

Roxas turned around and saw the girl she met with Mulan, Ariel.

"I…were you the one playing?" Ariel asked, trying to ease the awkwardness. She heard the extraterrestrial noise coming from the room. Upon sneaking in, she thought she saw a ghost playing the piano.

"Yea…"

Ariel's smile dropped, heavily disappointed. Just as instant, she smiled forcibly, tying her hands behind her back. "That was…unique!" she said in forced compliment.

Roxas laughed a bit. "No. I know it was horrible…"

Ariel shook her head furiously, waving her hands in the air. "No, no, it was unique! It sounded strange and…" She looked up at the ceiling. "Different, but I can tell by the way you were playing…" Finally, a softer, gentle, and true expression faded in Ariel's face. "…so professionally."

Roxas stood up, taking his bag with him. "Sorry if I bothered you," he said, bowing slightly, before leaving for the door.

"You're leaving?" Ariel asked, feeling she is now at fault.

Roxas turned slightly to her, gesturing to the piano, though he probably meant the music room as a whole. "You're from the Sakura Bouquet, right?"

"I probably am again, but I won't be one until next week," she said. "I'm just here since I heard you playing. Do you play often? You're from the Iris Bouquet, right?" Ariel suddenly shot questions. She must have realized this herself, covering her mouth in embarrassment. Roxas wasn't really affected, so he answered politely.

"I don't really play the piano. I'm not musically inclined," he said so again. "But when I feel bothered, I play the piano a bit…" Roxas chuckled to himself. "To be honest, I don't know why…"

"Aw…is anything bothering you? Well, I mean…can I help you or anything?"

Roxas looked up to Ariel and can't help but smile. Her gesture moved him, rather than embarrass him. "No, it's fine. It's just about…"

Then he remembered.

"Wait, Ariel…"

"Yes?" she responded, a bit confused.

"There's this girl named Xion…she's a new student and she's going to be in the Sakura Bouquet. I…I wanted to talk to her yesterday, but Shang came up…Iris duties," he suddenly summarized. Ariel nodded in understanding. "Later, I have an Assignment to take care off, too. And I really, really want to talke to Xion. I just don't have the chance until next month. And it's been…bothering me…"

Ariel slowly beamed. "I completely understand," she said. "But I'm not sure if I'm going to be in the Sakura Bouquet, though I really hope so. But if I get in the Bouquet again…" Ariel affectionately held Roxas' hand. "I'll talk to her." Ariel didn't need to ask for further explanation—obviously, it was a boy-and-girl thing.

"Thanks," Roxas said, completely relieved.

A thought came to Ariel and she quickly dropped Roxas' hand. "Maybe we shouldn't be holding hands," she suddenly said. Roxas looked confused, wondering why Ariel made such comment on her friendly gesture. He knew girls were affectionate, so they often made physical gestures. He didn't understand how Ariel's comment has to do with gestures.

"Nothing," was all she said with a bright smile. "You know, it's nice that you play the piano. I came from a musical family, and only my parents and my eldest sister could play the piano, and only I can sing. Maybe we can play together sometime? And if you know anyone who wants to play instruments or sing…"

Roxas was furthered perplexed. If she came from a musical family, then why insist on playing with others? But having owned Ariel with her kindness already without being asked, Roxas just returned the smile, nodding.

Though he wasn't musically inclined...

* * *

Later when classes were over, Bouquet meetings came in. He spent the first hour with Li Shang about the Assignment, discussing the details and schedule. He wasn't alone; he's to work with other silver-brooch students: Yuffie, the oldest, being a fifth year, on the contrary known as being childish; Mulan and Copper from the fourth year; and lastly, the other silver-brooch in his year, Peter Pan.

They were told to do the patrol as early as 7am until 8:15 (classes beginning at 8:30). Another patrol is scheduled during their lunch, 12:00pm to 1:00 (15 minutes to eat lunch; lunch period is 11:45 – 1:05), then they were to spend three hours for the last patrol, spending the whole time for the Bouquet from 3:00 to 6:00pm, one hour after-school overtime. The worse or better part is that they have to do the patrols together with close communication. For the latter, they weren't to be excused from other Bouquet duties; they have to squeeze it in without failing.

The school wasn't _entirely_ big. There were in fact more off-limits areas. The patrol included such areas, which made the Assignment a little less depressing. They were to specifically look through the Castles of the five Bouquets, though they were to pay attention through the school grounds as well.

During the meeting with Shang and Tramp, only Peter Pan was bold enough to question the Assignment. Even if he did ask or made a smart point, no one can really answer, not even Wakka, their Gardener.

A golden envelope with a red rose seal is an Assignment from Ansem, Ansem - The Wise.

Even more mysteriously, they were to report to the fifth year golden brooch, one who was never seen in any Iris Bouquet meetings, Yuna.

* * *

"Wow, for this Assignment to be exactly the same time with our official studies…" Mulan contemplated. The five silver-brooch students were by the one of the rooms provided in the Castle for meetings, discussing who the leader should be and how to handle the patrol.

"Jack's not with us," Copper pointed out with a grin. There was a chuckle among the group about the inside joke. There were six silver-brooch Iris students, but it's likely to increase by the time the school year ends, since deliberation about brooches were done quarterly. Last year, there were thirteen silver-brooch students, but half graduated or transferred.

"So, who's going to be our leader?" Copper asked. Copper has round, lazy black eyes, constantly curtained by his dropping, shoulder-length brown hair. He's always been enthusiastic about Assignments and energetic and happy. Everyone knows too his best friend from the Daisy Bouquet.

"Of course, that would be me," came Peter with his cocky attitude. He carried with him a Swiss knife he has a habit of playing with. Green was also his signature color. Last year, he was pretty notorious, especially from his seniors, for his overly cocky and egotistic, bossy attitude, but he earned _a little_ respect and perhaps understanding because of his fearlessness when it comes to injustice.

"Oh c'mon, I want to be leader!" Yuffie pouted. Just as stubborn and fearless as Peter Pan was Yuffie who was just as mature as the second year. Mulan rolled her eyes with a smile, somehow seeing how this would turn out.

"How about Roxas?" Mulan suggested.

"No thanks," Roxas answered, laughing. He felt very comfortable with the group, though he had a certain dislike for Peter last year. "Besides, this is an Assignment from Ansem. I think we should take this seriously."

"Of course we are!" Yuffie and Peter said at the same time.

"Well," Mulan started, apparently the one who would negotiate this. "You two are our only candidates, so we have to know how _long_ you can take this seriously."

This time, only Peter spoke up. "_Long_ enough, ma'm!"

Mulan smiled and looked at Yuffie. "Yuffie?"

"Hmm…" she pondered. "It might be a bit boring…" she glanced at Peter, giving him a glare. "I don't like his bossy attitude still, but I guess he can make it a bit fun."

Peter glared back. "What _bossy_ attitude?"

"So Peter's our leader, then. Peter, any plans?" Mulan continued.

Peter's grin came back and he haughtily nodded. "Yes, and I know it's very humble for my part to admit, I would require assistance! A second-in-command!"

Everyone fell quiet. Roxas stiffed a bit. First year for Peter was quite problematic, really. Not only was he overly confident, but he was straight immature when it comes to gender and sexism. Of course, Shang was, too, but that was a thing of the past… (specifically, last year).

Because of Peter's known past history, everyone was alarmed when their leader pointed at the least person Peter couldn't put on the edge about the topic.

"Mulan, you'll be my second-in-command!"

Mulan grimaced, crossing her arms. "Really?" she asked, very skeptical. "Am I supposed to bring home-baked cookies, some cold shakes, and a fan or an umbrella in case of a bad weather?"

"Exactly!" Peter grinned, feeling as if everything had fallen in place when he became leader.

Everyone can see the snarl at the corner of Mulan's lips.

"All right, but as second-in-command, _I'll_ have a say in everything, okay?"

"Of course!"

Mulan suddenly stood up. "Have your own mother do those for you."

Peter's smile slightly fell. He stumbled in his flow with a short stutter. "Hmm…but, well, I don't have a mother…"

"Roxas doesn't have one either," Mulan harshly said, not at all rewarding Peter with the sympathy he seemed to be asking.

Peter glared at Mulan adamantly as if he had just been insulted. "And _so_? I don't know why you're complaining about a simple task!"

"If it's so simple, then do it yourself!" Mulan shot back.

"I'm leader! I have enough on my hands!"

"Hands that can't do anything with a leader who can only blabber with his _mouth_!"

"Stop, guys!" Roxas yelled, standing up and putting a hand to silence both. "I'll volunteer to be second-in-command."

"Even better, then!" Peter said, voice still dripping with venom with a glare at Mulan.

Mulan let go of the immature glare-stare fight, looking at Roxas with mild annoyance for his interception. Still, at the end of the day, she'll appreciate that, just like last year. For now, she's irritated of his action.

"But I won't be doing any of those you told Mulan, Peter," Roxas told the leader.

Peter nodded, lying down on the grass. "Very understandable."

Mulan almost lunged at Peter, but both Roxas and Copper stopped her. Mulan growled at them to let go, which they hesitantly did. Mulan crossed her arms.

"I'll get something to eat…" she grumbled, stomping off.

"I better come with her," Yuffie said, laughing awkwardly and hastily following Mulan. Roxas would have said that same thing, but he knew he contributed to the anger Mulan was feeling right now.

When the two left, Copper and Roxas heard Peter comment about something, but it was too muffled. When the two exchanged looks, somehow they knew what the crestfallen boy had said, before he fell asleep.

* * *

Around 5:10, Mulan gave Roxas an apology hug, in which Roxas returned. They still didn't talk much, but Roxas knew Mulan was probably upset in a way that didn't involve much anger anymore. They bid their goodbyes, just like all the other students were doing.

Roxas called his uncle to fetch him, since he no longer has the board that was with him for four years. It was a bit of a nuisance, but Roxas was a little tired to walk miles to get home and a little short on cash for public transportation.

Instead of just standing and waiting, Roxas visited his spot near the well. He wondered if he should apologize to Axel, or if Axel had already forgiven him. Just to be safe, he'd come online to talk to him. It was Friday, anyway.

He left the spot and wandered a bit near the well. He looked up and saw the tree he saw the strange, grinning cat.

Roxas checked his cellphone that informed him it was 5:18 already. He made his way to the school gates, only to encounter a pair by the trees by the back of the school. One of them was unmistakably Axel, chatting with his companion. Roxas had difficulty figuring out who the other was, who was much older even for a sixth year, but younger than the professors. Axel's companion was as composed as he was, but the smile was like an out-of-the-world thing when put in that face.

Roxas gaped when he realized who Axel was having a friendly chat with.

The world never looked the same upon seeing Professor Sai smile.

* * *

_Balamb entrance exam is in next month. Time sure flies fast, don't you think?_

_I've got a few more books to hit about the junctions. Aerith's helping with public service. She said she might be able to go to Radiant Garden as part of her training. I might tag along. You should come too, if you can._

_Keep your memories intact_

_- Zack_

_

* * *

_

_**end of episode**_

**

* * *

  
**


	5. the official studies, and alice

**Author's Notes:** After every five chapters, I'll add in the a/n some character information, list, and summary of chapters, along with the next five chapters to follow, to refresh the mind.

I'll have two characters noted though: Homer "Tramp" and Copper from Iris Bouquet are from slightly-old Disney films. The former comes from a rather popular one, _Lady and the Tramp_ and the latter comes from _The Fox and the Hound_. Obviously, they've been made into complete humans.

If you're wondering why Tramp's real name is Homer, Homer was one of the debated names for him before Tramp. I chose Homer because it obviously just makes the image pop from the guy in Simpson, haha.

I'll definitely have more characters involved, or at least showed. I'm going to see how to fit some characters from live-action Disney movies, but I'm not bold enough to make a Zack Effron or Jonas brother in this fic, sorry.

**

* * *

Episodes of Hearts**

**episode 5  
the official studies, and alice**

**

* * *

  
**

"An Assignment from Ansem, huh?"

Roxas nodded, though there was no way Axel could have seen it, since they were talking through the online service.

"You're telling me this," he continued slowly from the other line. "But you're not going to tell me _what_ it is."

"Assignments like those are supposed to be kept in secret," Roxas answered, true to his vocation.

Axel laughed at the other line. "I'm going to find out, anyway…"

"Axel," Roxas stated, beginning a question as he browsed websites about angels. "About Xion. Are you two really…?"

"Just friends," he answered nonchalantly. "Well, acquaintances…we last saw each other years ago, when we were kids. Then one day she called my cell and begged me to be her fiancé. I have no idea how she got my number."

Roxas lazily plopped his cheek on his knuckles. His elbow rested on the desk. "I don't understand why she has to be engaged no matter what. Actually, what I don't understand more is why you'd _agree_ to that," he said dryly.

"Well…" he drawled very slowly. "Who knows? Maybe I was feeling kind at that moment."

"Right," Roxas muttered monotonously, scanning through the tabs from his link-jumping. He was after the pictures, because reading a wall of text wasn't very appealing. "Didn't you ask - why she has to be engaged? And why she chose you?"

"Why are you asking so many questions?" Axel asked back humorously.

"It just seems odd someone would just accept a 'favor' like that without asking," he answered frankly.

"Kind of like you, don't you think?"

Roxas frowned. "I would have _asked_," he defended. He stopped reading and stared at the screen, waiting for Axel to reply, but he no longer answered back. Roxas knew Axel wasn't really in front of computer; he was constantly away from the keyboard, leading to a lot of jumbled chats.

While Roxas continued to look through the different websites, he confessed to himself that he lied, after remembering he accepted something like a favor from Ariel without asking. It was out of consideration though; was Axel the same?

* * *

Roxas hated cooking dinner.

It was Sunday night and he was in charged of cooking. He hated it. That doesn't mean he couldn't cook decent food though. Roxas simply found it extremely tedious. They were a few times he would forget ingredients or some mismanagement with time, resulting to a big hassle.

Roxas stirred the pot of tamarind soup. It wasn't really soup, he thought. It was a salty and spicy soup with leafy vegetables and beef. He didn't like cooking this one most especially because it was boiling hot. Why cook it? Because he liked the food.

Roxas only served little tamarind soup, since the soup's accompanied by rice. They don't really have a big stomach for such a heavy dinner.

"Roxas, I'm home!" a familiar voice called as the front door unlocked.

"Welcome back!" Roxas chanted instinctively, turning off the stove and closing the gas. "Geez," he muttered, standing straight up to see his uncle setting his laptop by the counter. "I sound like your wife."

His blond uncle laughed good-heartedly. "Indeed you do. And I daresay it's nice to have one once in a while."

"Go get a girlfriend," he told him, sitting by their small and humble dinner table, just near the kitchen across the counter.

Roxas' Uncle Rould shook his head, sitting across his nephew. "Maybe, but I'm a little too old for that. Romance is just as old as a Shakespearean story for me."

"No way, you're still too young to say that," Roxas said, letting his food cool off a bit. "You're on your mid-twenties and you're really fit. And I can still see women checking you out."

"I have no time for relationships," he answered with a bit sound of regret. "I have to take care of you."

Roxas frowned and stubbornly said, "I can take care of myself."

Uncle Rould just smiled. "You wouldn't want to bet on it. How about you? I heard from your friend you've taken a liking on his fiancé."

Roxas gagged. "What?" He stared wide-eyed. "WHO?"

"Lea," Uncle Rould answered, taking a sip from his bowl of soup.

The boy stared at his uncle blankly. "Who? No really…"

"Lea, your friend from your school," Uncle Rould repeated, taking yet another sip. "Ahh…" he relaxed, feeling heat in his lungs. "Very delicious and satisfying, especially for a cold evening like tonight."

"I don't know anyone named Lea…" Roxas said doubtfully. "Did you mean Axel?"

"Axel?" Uncle Rould pondered. "Ah, yes. He calls himself that."

"…he does?"

"I must've forgotten to tell you. I work under your friend's father. Your friend recognized me yesterday and we had a short chat. Must be nice to be young." Uncle Rould grinned knowingly, somehow hinting Axel told a lot of things. Roxas wasn't bothered about that though.

"So…his name's Lea?"

* * *

"YOUR NAME'S LEA?"

Monday morning started with the patrol. Roxas went through the school grounds. When the bell rang, they contacted each other and reported nothing really peculiar. They weren't really told what exactly to look out for. Roxas joke about terrorists, with Raden Academy filled with opulent children. They laughed and bid each other farewell.

As he headed to Radiant Terrace and on to his first class, he bumped into Axel. Roxas immediately took this opportunity, remembering last night's conversation with his uncle.

Leading to the exclamation that stole some people's attention.

Axel was calmer about it. He shrugged his shoulders. Roxas tried to make a thought out of his face.

"It's nothing, really. I call myself Axel since it's a better name than Lea."

"Did your parents think you were a girl, or…?" Well, he was curious why he was named Lea.

"Not really." Axel began to walk, assumingly toward his first class.

"Must be evil parents then," Roxas said surely with a grin.

"My mom gave me that name before she died giving birth to me."

Roxas stopped on his tracks with a dropped jaw. He had slowly registered those words in his head before he tried handling the situation like how they were trained to do when handling a man with a gun.

"I'm so sorry," Roxas stammered slowly. "I didn't know..."

Axel laughed. Roxas just remained silent.

"No problemo, Roxas," he said cheerfully. "For all we know, my mom could have been anyone evil, y'know?"

At this, Roxas frowned, somehow feeling that the statement was wrong, even from Axel. "But she died giving birth to you, her son…"

Axel turned. His smile was unwavering. "It's not like she had a choice, right? If it was between me and her life, if she had known, she could have chosen herself."

"I don't think she would have...or did," Roxas evoked.

"I don't really remember, anyway."

The young man's head dropped. "I don't remember, too…"

Axel became confused, sensing something odd from his friend. "Don't remember…what, exactly?"

"My mother or my brother…I was told I had a twin brother. I was seven." Roxas grimaced, somehow trying to make things fit in his head. "I don't really understand. I was told they died in the sea, but I don't even remember either of them. My father said he wanted to forget the past, so those things…they weren't open for discussion."

"The past's the past, Roxas!" Axel said energetically, maybe to try cheering him up. "Besides, isn't it better just forgetting it, than getting mopey about it?"

Roxas smiled. "Yea, it's probably better."

Axel decided to smile back, even though he could see how forced it was on Roxas' face.

* * *

"Good morning, students! Yes, yes, so many familiar faces…and let's see…" The middle-aged man looked at the clipboard. He placed reading glasses on his nose bridge and read through the notes. "Forty! More students coming each year! And this is just the second year." A wisely-old smile stretched on the man's saggy face. "That makes me happy."

"You know who I am. I was your teacher when you were first year students and your teacher just a month ago! I am Rafael Ikilias who hails from a far away country!" he said dramatically with a single arm. "Call me Sir Rafiki…now, let's see if anyone's not around…"

Sir Rafiki had the most amazing memory. He gave the clipboard a single look then he scanned the faces in the whole classroom. He smiled once more and set the clipboard back on the table. Everyone had already taken out their notebook as Sir Rafiki marked "Complete" in the attendance. That was Sir Rafiki for you.

SSH or Social Studies and History was normally a boring subject for the students, but Sir Rafiki, who had been teaching in the school since it was built (which was thirty or so years ago), through quirky, was artless yet astute. He was very open and expressive, and he encouraged his students the same. One thing that probably intimidates the students about him is his non-discriminatory treatment. He criticizes and scolds students no matter who they are. He was sometimes 'moody', though he generally held the appearance of a calm, middle-aged man.

Still, he was a kind teacher who gives the students endless support.

* * *

"Good morning, students!" their English teacher greeted merrily, clasping her hands together. She spoke with an accent that came from a far away land as well. "This is the first time we meet! Mr…Professor Thatch was your teacher last year! Am I right?" The students gave a chorus 'yes'. "He must have told you, but it would be rude not to introduce myself!"

The English teacher took a blue pen on wrote on the white board. "My name is Jane Porter, graduate of International Studies, Literature, and Education. Yes, my father is Professor Archimedes Q. Porter, professor in Science and Technology. I'll be your teacher for the whole school year in English. Unless they are changes with the teachers and professors, this will be our first and last year together."

Ms. Jane Porter looked to be quite young by the face. Her eyes were blue and optimistic and her lips were red and bright. She was pale with cheeks dabbed with rosy blush on. The make-up wasn't uncommon within the faculty, though the bun on her head made her looked a little strict and older (matured and professional, she'll say).

"Now let's see if there are any naughty kids who _dared _skip my class!" she pretended to give the class a little laugh, which they gave in with ease.

* * *

"Good morning, students."

No one had sat down. The students were all waiting for their professor to acknowledge them.

"Good morning, Professor Sid," they chorused. The professor garbed in blue robes gestured them to sit down. He looked like a wizard from a fantasy book, bearing a thick, gray bear on his face. The students followed without audible protest or unnecessary comments.

"As I have said, there are no changes in the curriculum for the Mathematics area. We will assume where we left off last year. Once again in Mathematics, remember the three mathematical magic: listen, study, practice. Be persevering and honest; thus, I will enact the same values for you to imbibe."

Professor Yen Sid was just like Sir Rafiki. He has been a professor since the school was built. He handled all the classes for Mathematics. He was a disciplined old man who wasn't the most approachable person – by first glance. Professor Sid gave each student an endless respect, and he earned the same. They were a few who hadn't taken a liking of equal respect, having deemed Professor Sid simply as an 'old man', but Professor Sid's beliefs and values lived on up until today.

The class was silent. They watched Professor Sid take a black pen and the clipboard on the table. Everyone finally moved, having looked around.

"Is everyone here?"

The class murmured very slightly. They took a while to settle down. They faced the waiting professor and responded, "Yes Professor."

Professor Sid smiled. "Remember, students," he told them. His voice was audible and strong, even for his old age. "No man advances on his own without having to carry the burden of others."

* * *

Roxas copied the numbers down to his notebook. The bell ranged three minutes ago. Now, he has approximately twelve minutes to eat, and then it's time for the patrol.

SSH tackled wars quickly—all sorts of wars from different culture and how it had an impact on today. Sir Rafiki included 'mythological' or 'legendary' wars, like the Kingdom War, and even the war between gods that sank Atlantis. These myths, as Sir Rafiki explained, have huge cultural impact, centering on literature and belief. They were to write a one-page essay about a war they discussed.

Language wasn't any easier. They talked about etymology, beginning from Greek and Latin to English. They were told to read the first chapter of the book and research of the history of the English language.

Mathematics was the cruelest. They advanced to the different theorems far too quickly. Professor Sid advised them to read ahead last month, but Roxas had forgotten that. Mathematics was not his favorite subject either. Professor Sid left no assignment, but Roxas made a note to study what he wrote down on his notebook.

Roxas ate a sandwich of the classical ham and egg as he went through his locker. He can hear complains of stress from the first three subjects from students in the early years. The older years were more used to it, but Roxas heard that it doesn't get easy. Higher years get less free period and more work.

Afternoon subjects were usually stress-free. Year-mixed subjects usually take two hours of the last subject. Roxas' next subject was HEAL or Home Economics and Livelihood. For the first quarter, they were supposed to do sewing. Roxas sighed, his face sulking in front of the mirror in his locker. What a boring subject; Roxas was now suffering from Monday blues.

Roxas glanced at his cellphone for the time. He wished he had a wristwatch instead. Every time he pulls out his cellphone around people, he feels insecure since the richer students had better ones. Second, people usually try to get his number and they beg he reply back to their messages.

Roxas went through the hallway of lockers and arrived at one of the ten lobbies the Castle has. He inserted money for a can of juice in the vendor machine. Normally, he'd prefer water. He has no certain like or dislike towards sugar, but he can't tell the difference between the feeling of drinking cold coke or plain water. For him, they were both like water. Coke just had a lot of sugar…

Following his quick break, he headed to the fields behind the school to patrol with Mulan. This time, they were to go around the off-limits area near the windmills. Roxas can't help but reminisce about his first meeting with Axel.

Soft footsteps trudged behind him. He heard the grass gently stepped on by a pair of feet, and without even the need to look, he knew it wasn't Mulan. He swiftly turned around, suddenly completely alert, in order to catch sight of the stranger. Roxas squeezed his eyes, appearing dazed while starring in the distance. Deciding there was nothing, he dropped his guard, but his mind was still suspicious.

"Wha…?" He turned around, his head jerking to west and east, the buildings blurring in the speed. When the noise cracked again, he lowered his gaze to find a red-clothed white furry bouncing up and down in a hurry. "Hey!" he called, only finding the decision to chase after it when it disappeared into the forest.

A tale in the trees told nothing but one, of a boy who chased after the ?hurrying rabbit in a tie. Little by little, the rays of sun that sieved vanished into the night in unknown ?eternity. Though dark and frightening, with figures hiding in the pensive dusk and only the crunching of frail grasses under his shoes could break the silence, he darted with twice as ?haste. The boy with blue eyes turned to the exact corner he thought where the rabbit went only to find with an awkward bump, a girl just like him but little and ?young.

"Did you see a rabbit?" Two voices one from each, only distinguishable by the tone and pitch. "Where did he go?" The two in haste did not wonder anymore and answered by a finger that pointed in two opposite ways, "That way!"

Then perhaps reason entered their heads as noted by the agreeable silence, and they stopped in their trails, knowing that they have both lost the subject right in front of the face.

"Oh, my apologies," she said with an accent alike with Ms. Porter's. She wiped the sweat on the sides of her head with a soft swoop of her hand. "I have no idea where I am and I was hoping the rabbit would know."

She looked at him, now expecting a reply. "I was wondering...why it was in a ?rush."

The girl laughed. "It must be ?late."

"He's always ?late," Roxas corrected.

"He? It could be a she…we don't know how rabbits are supposed to dress."

"Yea," he nodded, acknowledging that processed fact.

"Oh, my name! My name's Alice, sir," she introduced herself, bowing courteously.

Roxas gave a hasty, not-so-graceful bow with the head. "No 'sir' would be fine…and it's Roxas."

"Nice to meet you, Roxas. Were you doing something? I hope not to interrupt you…"

"Not really…were you doing something?"

Alice blushed. "Yes, well, I was studying, until I fell asleep…"

"I heard you really need to study hard from where you come from."

"England?" Alice asked. Roxas blinked. She clasped her hands, apparently happy. "Oooh, I thought I was lost! Is this your land? My, I don't know how I ended up here…"

"I'm not so sure myself, but…" He stopped to think, and then glancing at Alice. "Do I look like someone from your land?"

Alice scrutinized Roxas. "You'll certainly pass as one, though your…hair and clothes are strange." She giggled. "No offense."

Roxas shook his head. "None taken. Why are they strange?" He continued asking.

"Um…I don't see many young men, yet, but their hair isn't so…" Alice squeezed her eyes, feeling something invisible above her head. "…spiky!"

Roxas smiled slightly, amused. "Okay, one last question…" Roxas stopped. Alice gave a questioning look, wondering about Roxas' expression as if he was hesitating to say it.

Just as he had opened his mouth to speak, a familiar cat up in the trees gave him a jolt right after, as if to finish what had been up by the back of the young boy's head.

"How did you get here?"

Roxas' was surprised by the sudden voice, but more surprised that his heart leapt when all was gone, even his chance.

Mulan came up to him, waving. "Sorry, Roxas," she said, slightly panting. "I saw your friend loitering around…don't tell me you told him?"

"What?" was his immediate response.

Mulan dismissed Roxas' strange absent-mindedness and repeated what she said. Roxas shook his head.

"I didn't tell him anything."

"I followed him to the windmills, but I lost him. Nothing suspicious there, but we should check again…" Mulan led the way, her mind occupied that something may be up.

"Did you see any girl?"

"No, why?" she asked briskly, glancing past her shoulder.

"…have you ever heard of _England_?"

Mulan finally paid attention to Roxas' odd behavior, appearing irked than confused, though. She stopped and turned around. "Is that the girl's name? C'mon Roxas, this isn't the time for that."

"Sorry, sorry," he said hastily. "I'll look up on Axel," he said, now firm in his voice.

Roxas could feel Mulan's lips smiling. "That's the spirit! I'm really glad you turned out to be an extraordinary person." She giggled, smiling at him. Roxas could only return the smile, half-forced.

* * *

_I can't believe Aerith left me behind! But I guess she's got a schedule to maintain and wouldn't want oversleeping Zack here to mess it up._

_This is going to be my last letter for a while. Aerith will be sending you letters instead during my entrance exam to Balamb. Don't try to stop us. You know it's for your own good. We don't think of you as a burden. It's what friends do._

_Don't worry about me either. I have no plans of losing anything important to me…_

_Keep your memories intact, Sephiroth._

_- Zack_

_

* * *

**end of episode**_

**

* * *

  
**


	6. dreams and reality

**Summary: **The Youth Festival is coming and a negative atmosphere plagues Raden Academy. Fortunately, the hero, Roxas was already in action to save the day. Xion may have to give a different opinion: "Roxas, they've been stalking you."

**Author's Note (BIG ONE): **

Setting: Radiant Garden. It's dubbed as the city of roses, ruled by Ansem, Ansem – The Wise. Radiant Garden has a school called Radiant Garden Academy, shortened to Raden Academy.

Main Characters: 

Roxas (2nd year, 14-years-old, Iris Bouquet) silver-brooch  
- amnesic boy living with his uncle, his only blood-relative. He's quite popular because of his manner of helping people, as well as his natural charm, though he was quite aloof and shy. He seemed to have earned his brooch by defeating Li Shang in a duel.

Axel (2nd year, 15-years-old)

- transfer student who befriended Roxas, though he have showed hesitance after causing him an accident. He was quite popular too, but Roxas took note he seemed to pull away from people. Axel is among the few who knew Roxas before, though it was an embarrassing day for Roxas. Axel is engaged to Xion by her request.

Xion (2nd year, 14-years-old)

- a mysterious girl whom Roxas would like to know more, feeling that he should be concerned. She uses plenty of 'Internet language' and has a talent and hobby for drawing. She and Axel were childhood friends. To prevent engagement with someone else, she begged Axel to be her fiancé. Xion showed signs of interest to Roxas, 'drooling' at him prior to their meeting.

Supporting Characters:

Rould

- Roxas's uncle and only living blood relative left. He works under Axel's father's company. He has a fancy for cards. Despite his charms, he has remained single, stating it was for the best interest for his nephew.

Peter Pan (2nd year, Iris Bouquet) silver-brooch

- an overconfident boy who opened up an issue a year ago for being a sexist. He is extremely assertive but cocky. He's the self-volunteer leader of the patrol under Ansem's orders.

Mulan (4th year, Iris Bouquet) silver-brooch

- a senior of Roxas who shares a sibling bond with. Mulan was defensive about Peter's sexism, something she didn't appear to be forgiving about.

Copper (4th year, Iris Bouquet) silver-brooch

- a cheerful, energetic boy who has a hair curtaining his eyes. He has a best friend over the Daisy Bouquet, whom everyone knew about.

Yuffie (5th year, Iris Bouquet) silver-brooch

- a childish student who was brave and reckless, almost like Peter.

Zidane Tribal (6th year, Iris Bouquet) bronze-brooch

- formerly from the Sunflower Bouquet, he was transferred to the Iris Bouquet again after getting kicked in his first year. Zidane has shown interest in Roxas's persona and have been straight-forward at times about him. He taught Roxas how to play the piano a year ago, having remembered him to have played badly until the play in the Youth Festival.

Jack Skellington (6th year, Iris Bouquet) silver-brooch

- the creative enthusiast who has little attention span whenever he was deep in thought about something he considers to be fun. Jack has the tendency to be clumsy and forgetful, which everyone is scared off. Unlike Zidane, he thought Roxas to be normal like everyone else.

Homer Rags (6th year, Iris Bouquet) golden-brooch

- Zidane's partner-in-crime, who ended up convinced from Zidane's words. He dislikes being called by his name. He preferred to be called "Tramp".

Li Shang (6th year, Iris Bouquet) golden-brooch

- the student who comes from a military family. He was known to be a sexist until last year in a mysterious, rumor-filled event. He was just as serious as with Assignments like Roxas, though Li Shang was a widely acceptable cause for the students.

Yuna (5th year, Iris Bouquet) golden-brooch

- the enigmatic fifth year who wasn't seen in any meetings at all, despite being a golden-brooch. Roxas and the others in the patrol assignment were told to report to her personally.

Ariel (3rd year, Sakura Bouquet)

- a returnee from a far-away school. She seems to be in love with a man she met, whom she spent time with in Destiny Islands. Her family is a musical family, but she's showed signs of eagerness to play music with other people like Roxas.

Jim Hawkins (2nd year, Sunflower Bouquet)

- Roxas's PEAT partner and 'rival'.

School staff:

Jane Porter (Language)

- daughter of Professor Archimedes Porter who teaches Science and Technology. Her accent suggest a lot that she comes from a far-away place.

Wakka (Physical Education and Training)

- the Gardener of Iris Bouquet as well.

Yen Sid (Mathematics)

- a highly respected man who have taught at the academy since its foundation.

Rafael Ikilias (Social Studies and History)

- an old man with a photographic memory. He is called "Rafiki" in short.

Professor Sai (Vice President)

- an emotionless, frightening man whom Roxas have seen in his office plenty of times. Despite the belief he has no emotions, Roxas saw him conversing with Axel with a smile.

Leon

- the quiet janitor acquainted to Roxas. They first met by the well, where Roxas fell in but Leon managed to save him. Axel had his doubts about the man. Leon was also present during the windmill accident, covering for the two students.

Ms. Trepe (???)

- Axel mentioned her for switching class with them.

Volume 2 (lol)

Chapter 6: dreams and reality  
Chapter 7: ghosts in raden academy  
Chapter 8: dangerous investigation  
Chapter 9: youth festival  
Chapter 10: in the middle of the song

Also, I am now correcting the use of apostrophe on Roxas's name XD

**Warning:** not proof-read…lol. Tell me though if you really feel I need to. I'm quite confident that my English skills were good enough, so…

**

* * *

  
Episodes of Hearts**

**episode 6  
dreams and reality**

* * *

"I see."

Two men were sharing a drink by the table in the 24/7 café. They were the only patrons left as the clock was ticking past 11 o'clock. Among them was a professor from Raden Academy, Sai, while the other man across him, bearing a very different appearance and manner from him, was a black-haired pony-tailed stranger with streaks of gray hair on his hair; he wore an eye patch on his right eye and adjacent to the eye is a scar tracing deep from his cheek near the left eye.

"I just need to get a closer, updated look in the school."

"And this is Ansem's orders?"

The man grinned. "Of course."

Sai glowered darkly.

"What's with that look?" he laughed. Sai knew this laugh was false – empty. The man stood up from his chair. "Well, thanks for the drink." The man took his coat and disappeared. Sai remained on his chair, starring at the envelope that appeared to have been left behind.

It was an envelope with a rose red seal.

* * *

The city of flowers had always shared a single colorful canvas together. The city has an inborn balance between colors and shapes that create a harmonious scene. As days pass by, the new winter season approaches.

The cold soft circles patch up like new lands over the city. The white desert swept the entire city in a single night, but never once causing the light to dim. In fact, the city became brighter. The yellow light bounced against the cool snow and formed a glass-like scenery.

Many have already taken up wintry clothes: thick and furry, comfortable dark-colored clothes that protected the bare skin against the blazing coldness. Hot food and drinks became the favorite, be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

It was such a nice, wonderful city. The man who governs the city of flowers was Ansem, Ansem – The Wise.

However, though the city of flowers was a nice and wonderful city, a daisy among the roses stood out…

As usual, it was the popular second year silver brooch Iris student, Roxas. Opposite to his white-dominant theme in his black-and-white wardrobe, he was clad in black. The sweater beneath his jacket had a white turtle-neck. His jeans were grayish and he wore the same pair of shoes. His ear muffins were fluffy and black, as well.

Roxas appeared quite intimidating, enough for the few passer-bys who were retreating to their homes in this hour to stay meters away from him. The people weren't one to judge a person by clothes, but the way Roxas stared blankly into thin air somehow gave them a bad feeling. A bad, ominous feeling.

Unlike Roxas, a man who complimented the white, tranquil snow traversed through the streets. He spotted Roxas, who he thought indeed stood out like a daisy among roses.

The man had blue hair and a cold pair of eyes. He was wearing a lavender sweater and a brown trench coat, while his neck was covered in blue scarf. His eyes confirmed he knew Roxas and approached the boy, though like the passerby's, he felt a different feeling he couldn't point out – something heavy.

"You shouldn't be out so late, Roxas," he said with the tone he was notorious for – emotionless.

Roxas turned around with nothing odd about him, contrary to how he was judged.

"Professor Sai!" he exclaimed with surprise. Professor Sai wondered if Roxas didn't have a sense of time as the student pulled out his cellphone to glance at the clock. "It's almost midnight!"

"It is," Professor Sai echoed. "The curfew for students is ten o'clock. I should accompany you to your house."

Roxas shook his head immediately. "No!"

A frown didn't appear in the teacher's face, though he was silenced for the defiant behavior. "And why is that?"

A look of panic appeared in Roxas's face. "I…I need to warn her."

"Who?" The adult was slightly alarmed. Roxas turned away and began looking around.

"I…I don't know her name – but the fairy godmother said the magic will—"

Professor Sai's eyebrows raised a fraction and he watched the normally aloof second year slowly look at him in horror, clasping a hand on his mouth.

They stared at each other for a while. Roxas tried to say something, but he was frozen in place as if the night had gone colder.

Finally, Professor Sai spoke. "I hope you're not under the influence of drugs, Roxas."

Roxas straightened up, again shaking his head furiously. "No, sir!"

"Based from your background, you've had amnesia when you were seven."

The boy shook his head again. "No, it's got—"

"After your interview a year ago, your uncle and I had a small discussion."

Roxas was silenced. He didn't think his uncle ever said anything about _him_ to other people, especially teachers. Roxas stiffened quietly.

"He told me on the first day he lived with you, you had difficulty adjusting. You locked yourself in the room and told him that what you really wanted was to know who you were…your past."

"There's nothing wrong with that…" he muttered, his voice somewhat shaky, while his eyes were downcast and hesitant.

"Memoria."

Roxas's jaw dropped. "Professor, it's nothing like that! I-I will never take drugs! And I'm _not_!"

"Then what is it?" he asked, unperturbed. "Is it magic?"

When Professor Sai was returned with silence, he knew then that he found the reason for the heavy aura that he felt, one that slowly dissipated.

* * *

Students were all clad in their wintry clothes from the snowy season. Schedules didn't change. The classrooms were filled with warm air, generously coming from the built-in heaters. It couldn't be said the same for the gym used by the Sunflower Bouquet, where PEAT classes are held.

Doors and windows were shut for the first years (the Iris and the Sunflower Bouquets) who were occupying the gym this Monday. The students were wearing black version of their PEAT uniforms, which was also thicker to fight against the cold.

There was a game set next week, along with other finals from the subjects. Things were coming much earlier. Most students expected this, but the first years, and even the second years, were anxious and unprepared about this. After all, all of this was because of the upcoming Youth Festival.

Wakka had allowed the students to use the time for practice or rest. By "rest", he meant planning for the Youth Festival, and this was what the two Bouquets had in mind.

Roxas found himself standing next to Peter, where he would have much preferred to be seated on the bench with the rest of the class. No one liked it when Peter volunteered himself instantly to lead the discussion, but the Iris Bouquet have to side with the overconfident student just to respond to the sarcastic eye-rolling of the Sunflower Bouquet.

"_This isn't going to work out…"_ Roxas thought to himself, full-aware that most students were forcing themselves to get along with each other. He would've much preferred if they did the Youth Festival like the other competitions: per Bouquet, but since last year's experiment was a 'success' (theirs, former first years, barely matching up with the presentation of the others') they thought to do the same this year…for _all_ events.

"I know what we're _not_ going to do this year is what we did last year!" Peter exclaimed, swinging a curled fist in the air. "You know, the Youth Festival's my definite favorite. It's all about _us_ (Roxas heard Hawkins murmur, "You mean all about you" to someone beside him, who snickered). No limitations – as long we can do it, and we can do anything! So, who's got ideas?"

"Peter, we've got a list of tentative events already," Roxas told him.

"What? Let me see. You've got a list?"

Roxas glared at Peter. He didn't have one, but he happened to have a notebook at hand and a pen at his pocket. And he also _happened_ to have been at _every_ meeting they had, even though he _still_ has that patrol assignment to cover it.

He could hear the chorus of laughter as Roxas wrote them down like a secretary, handing it to Peter afterwards.

Peter scratched his chin as he read, obviously disappointed as he shook his head. He muttered the few words like "play", "dance", and "animal cosplaying zoo" ("Who the heck suggested this?!" he yelled out). Afterwards, he raised the notebook and looked at it as if it were an antique.

"All of these, stinks!"

And for once, they all agreed. There were a few protests about the animal cosplaying zoo, though. All the boys responded with a single "NO!", well-aware they were going to be dressed as the rabbits, not the girls (else they would've been excited to agree).

"So, any ideas? None?" Peter scowled. "It has to be something _noisy—_exciting! We can have something like a dance…a party, but that's too plain…"

"I thought you had fireworks, ya?" Wakka brought up, leaning on the side of the bench.

Peter glanced at the list. "It's not here."

"I never heard of it," Roxas came to his immediate defense.

"But it's a great idea!" Peter exclaimed, ignoring Roxas.

"Coach, helping's not allowed!" a student from the Iris Bouquet chided, which most whined with protests, finding the idea good.

"No, I do nothing like that! Someone from your year suggested it," the man answered.

"Great! So we're going to have a fireworks party…but it's still missing something…" Peter's eyes landed on Roxas and Peter had a sudden idea. A light bulb would have flickered on top of his head. "Music and…_action!_"

"Hah?" Roxas gaped blankly. He didn't quite understand what was it Peter remembered when he gave Roxas a single look.

"It's going to be like a play…" Peter made a cross with his arms and swiped them away. "But _completely_ different from last year! We're going to have a kind of…storytelling, but the stage's filled with music and fighting characters (Peter imitated a scene, imagining himself fighting a pirate), and the background exploding with fireworks! Going BOOM and dancing in the sky shzzzz…" He moved his arm, possibly imitating a firework.

There was some laughter and plenty of chatter from the students, who found themselves nodding in agreement.

"You should tell the leader of your batch as soon as possible, ya," Wakka announced, nodding his head in approval.

"Who's that? Peter asked, once again ignorant.

"A friend of mine," Roxas answered, barely loud enough for Peter to hear, giving Roxas a questioning look.

Roxas _happened_ to be in every meeting because of him, Axel.

When the class was over, lunch expected to be short for the students to have another meeting about the Youth Festival, Wakka called Roxas before he could change to his casual clothes.

Roxas wondered if this was about the Patrol Assignment. He honestly prayed it would be held up so he can have time for the Youth Festival.

"Yes, Coach?" he asked politely.

But Wakka didn't respond immediately. The gym was empty. He sat down on the first level on the bench, leaned forward for his arms to rest on his laps, and stared at Roxas straight in the eye.

Roxas's Gardener has a big heart, though he have led Roxas to some trouble that if he looked at it in another angle, is something he'd thank him for. The look Wakka gave him was different. He felt anxious about what grim news he has.

"Roxas, Professor Sai had informed me."

"About what?" he asked abruptly, his heart pounding.

Wakka did not miss look in his student's face. "You know what I'm talking about. I trust you, Roxas," Wakka said, before Roxas could interrupt. The boy closed his mouth. "I still do. Professor Sai has told no one but me. I don't know how to handle this myself…"

A heavy ping of guilt shook Roxas. Wakka was a traditional, good teacher. He always believed in his students. This was the kind of trust that very few have only secretly dared to break. Wakka would not favor students who intentionally break rules for their own satisfaction.

"Coach…"

"What do you want to happen?" Wakka asked Roxas quietly. "Does your uncle know?"

"Coach, I didn't do anything, I swear!" Roxas reasoned out quietly, paranoid at the ears that could be listening. Roxas flinched when Wakka placed a hand on his right shoulder.

"But you know, ya?"

At this, slowly, regretfully, and shamefully, he nodded, without the need to look anymore at the man in front of him.

Wakka closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

* * *

The night was cold despite no wind. The father was worried and shaking in fear. His wife was pregnant, demanding the same food. She wailed for the grass that belonged to the enchantress who he knew would someday appear.

It was the third night that was colder than ever. The man was no genius, but he knew the enchantress was near.

He escaped from the timid protection of their house and into the fields. He made ?with haste, pulling a Rapunzel out of the field. But then he shivered and tingle, all the hair on the back of his neck standing. He feared for the worst and looked up ?with instant hope of mercy at the presence he knew what ought to be.

But then out there he saw a boy who should not be awake at this time. He could not help but be swept in relief and delight.

"Good heavens—"

"Shh!" Roxas immediately hushed and pushed the man away. "She's coming!"

The man knew not how, but ?without a question he made his way. He did not know if the boy followed, but thanks the heavens he came back to his wife and unborn child.

The young boy heard the footsteps and immediately escaped under a bunch of bushes. He held his breath, stiff and alarmed, knowing the enchantress had been having her doubt. The enchantress was looking about, for the thief who's been stealing her plants.

Roxas stared at the sky and his composure eased at the song that sang in peace. He knew it was the mother of the unborn child, overjoyed for finally bearing one and along of the tasteful Rapunzel. He wanted to hear her sing again, reminded of the songs that he had sung ?with.

He loved the melody, the lyrics, the tune. He remembered it way back, ??with.

Just like the father and mother in the story, he had them way back in his history. The vivid flashback flickered as songs merrily fly in the air. But a claw of wonder of his own, began tearing the pages in the dream.

Where was his bro-.

THE ENCHANTRESS APPEARED IN BLACK HOOD AND ROBES. HER BONY FINGERS GRABBED HIS COLLAR, TIGHT LIKE A CLAMP THAT DID NOT LET GO. HER FEET AND WEIGHT CRUSHED HIS CHEST AS HE STRUGGLED AGAINST THE METAL IN THE SKY. THE SILVER KNIFE CALLING HIS BLOOD WENT FORWARD AND STABBED—

* * *

A single key that fell should have made a sound in the empty hall of darkness.

* * *

It was almost 6pm and Roxas was standing alone at the front gate of the school. He went around two Gardens today in the after-school patrol and arrived first at the school gates, where they meet after clearing their patrols. He told them that he was done already and have arrived at the gates.

Roxas stared at the snow covering the grass.

He did it, again.

But it's not like he had a control over it. It just happens, like why there was a need to rain and to snow.

Roxas took out his cellphone again and for the first time, selected the icon for _Radio_. He didn't have any songs downloaded, not finding any particular music he liked. He was strong to what he said he wasn't musically inclined, yet he decided to play the radio, though no sound could come out without the headphones intact. He watched the sound waves in the screen move up and down.

"Roxas?"

The word seemed to have cast a curse on him as his eyes widened with shock –

Copper was just as surprised when Roxas dropped his cellphone and his chest squeezed tightly. He saw the younger student dropped on his knees, the upper body curled like a ball.

"Ro-Roxas?" he asked, somehow feeling hesitant. Suddenly, he felt something heavy that attacked him that threatened to weaken his knees.

He heard him take in a gasp of breath. This at least assured Copper the boy was breathing, but he was not mistaken he was as pale as the snow.

Roxas's whole body trembled, his eyes starring at the blood that dripped through his arms and down to paint the snow. His chest burned hotly and he felt the knife still freshly carved.

The radio continued to play music on the cellphone that was half-buried on the snow. Though it made no sound, there was an idea that it was a mother with an unborn child singing, delighted about _Rapunzel_.

* * *

"ROXAS!"

A number of people greeted the boy. Upon entering the main hall of the academy, he saw many heads from different Bouquets turn to him. His eyebrows shot up.

"Yea?" he wondered, walking back slightly. Some of them – mostly his fans, were edging closer.

"How are you?"

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Do you need help?"

"I'll carry your books, c'mon."

"Do you think the animal cosplaying zoo was a bad idea…?"

"It's still early, you know. Maybe you should check in the nurse…"

"I'm okay…" Roxas tried to say out loud, but he was overwhelmed, and didn't even respond to the new topic randomly brought up to him.

He helplessly watched the scenario play all over again. There was nothing close to truth this time – nothing had happened to him. Even the doctors said so (having been rushed to the hospital by the others). The doctors reasoned he may have had just a case of anemia or seizure. Nothing had happened to him. He was completely fine. In fact, he woke up fresh as if nothing happened.

Nothing in reality happened.

A decrescendo simultaneously controlled the volume of the voices. A heavy, damp feeling covered the people, one of which noticing the scary look on Roxas's face.

"Ro…Roxas?"

Among the crowd he saw the unmistakable hood and the metal that no longer glitter – the smell of soil and metal was there, for he knew his own blood had tainted it.

Roxas's own world stopped, while the others' had merely slowed. A man whom Professor Sai was with earlier stepped in the scene, carrying with him his coat over his shoulder. The eye patch and the scar, the man's trademark, wasn't enough to catch the attention of the students. He was quick to notice the situation and traced where the looks were going.

Before the man could look, there was a series of cries, one particularly loud one coming from a brat who was apparently pushed over with surprising force coming from a girl thinner and smaller than him. The man's eyebrows rose at the sight of the thin girl.

"HEY! What's _wrong_ with you?!" Jim Hawkins demanded, having fallen on his rear when he was simply trying to get through the annoying crowd. There were also upset people who were pushed, some dropping their books.

Roxas heard his 'rival', but remembered the hooded woman – she disappeared amidst the temporary chaos. A sudden jolt of awareness tickled his imagination at the sequence of events, yet his logic acknowledged this fact without even looking twice. He quickly glanced at Hawkins's perpetrator and saw a girl wearing the same scary face he had.

Xion.

* * *

_**end of episode  


* * *

  
**_


	7. ghosts in raden academy

THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO THE SERIES "TOWARD THE TERRA"

WHICH IS JUST FUCK. JUST FUCKING AMAZING.

Watch it in clip .vn (remove space) and begin your search for Toward The Terra. There's a member named longspring who should have all subbed series up. I'm telling this because you'll be led to megavideo instead, which is just horrible.

I tell you. You'll have the same symptoms. Stunned, the need to watch it again, and just write furiously.

**

* * *

Episodes of Hearts**

**episode 7  
ghosts in raden academy**

* * *

The collective emptiness spread like the white blankets in the time when its freezing temperature mattered to what food to eat or what type of clothes to wear. The spherical terrain, patterned with no acknowledged geometric form, was perfectly non-discriminatory where there was nothing to consider about. Thoughts flow freely but pointlessly in levitating orbs, living in an individual space like the rest of the denizens.

The scientific mind would have been boggled by the lack of sounds from the footsteps by the sole breathing denizen. The lack of an actual ground was even more bothering to make walking possible.

Though the mind was processing the out-of-the-world (which is literally is) details the will has no control over the knowledge. There is the free-acting will to walk and look around, but not the will to use processed ideas.

A dream.

The boy was dreaming.

He was in his personal world. He's been living for fourteen years, but half of his life remains a story only spoken by the past. Though he has dreamt many times, he could feel that this foreign sensation indicated this was his first time to enter the personal world.

It was blank, empty. He didn't know how blank and empty it was, but he then knew that. There were vivid orbs that pointlessly levitate around the space. He knew they were his thoughts, but he didn't know what they were. The last detail his eyes caught and stared was the mass number of broken doors. He didn't know what they were, but he found very few doors that were free from holes, damages, or splinters.

A twinkle above urged him to look up. There above – he didn't know how far, was a part of the space that didn't seem quite right. Something about the swirls and twirls told him it was in motion, yet he didn't see any figures moving. He only observed the yellow orbs falling from the odd part of the space.

All then vanished, enveloped in white, with brightness that could not blind no matter what.

Paper.

The boy was in a paper.

He was on his two feet, but he knew was in a paper in the white space. A sickening sensation burnt in his insides as his chest suddenly ached. He decided to look at his side. Immediately the nauseating feeling increased tenfold as he stood stun and frozen at the unsightly image of a limb-torn being, unmistakably a human he didn't recognize (barely recognize) with bones at the back that he assumed were wings shred of its feathers. The eyes stared, bulging, bleeding, and lips slightly opened as if trying to say something. When the jaw moved, the slight movement broke the being; the jaw fell down a meter and the eyes rolled to the ceiling, ceasing to move but it noticeably still breathes.

The boy screamed.

Again. Again. Again.

He—

* * *

"AHH! AHH! AHHH!"

Sweating and shaking, bed covers thrown aside, he made swift movements in the darkness. The screams pierced the quiet, slumbering evening. They were blood-chilling enough to freeze fire.

"Roxas!" came a voice muffled by the barriers of the walls from the inside of the room. More noises followed, even quicker when the screams did not stop.

Light burnt from the hallway as the door swung open. There was a quick flicker of the switch that took a second to the lit the lights in the dark room on. The face Uncle Rould saw broke even his calm composure with probably even greater fear that crept in him.

"Roxas!" he said his name again, gently but sharply grabbing him by the shoulders. He was sure the heat generator was on, but he was sure as well the coldness he felt on his nephew's skin wasn't his imagination.

The world barely registered through his eyes until his same blue eyes pierced his. The eye contact silenced him, silenced the night, but his breathing continued to be loud, heavy, and rapid. The boy's eyes were wide and his face was extremely pale.

The fear of not knowing overwhelmed Uncle Rould. He asked what was wrong, but Roxas didn't reply. He was pale and cold. He could be sick, but fear was not sickness, and he can read emotions like cards. Uncle Rould didn't know what to do at the moment to help. He embraced his nephew tightly, and then ushering words that he hopes would calm his senses.

Roxas was in fear, too, for his mind was full of things he didn't know.

* * *

"Axel!"

"I _told_ you," he said, turning while rolling his eyes, and at the same time stacking the papers in a brown envelope. "The fireworks idea is cool already, but there won't be _any_ roleplaying—"

Axel stopped, blinking at the student he faced. She was as confused. Axel recognized her with Roxas many times, but he never bothered with her name. Realizing the mistake, a short silence sank in.

Axel laughed the awkwardness off. "Haha, sorry 'bout that." It was also laughable at how embarrassing it was to slightly snap at the situation. "_Getting worked up over a school event? This must be some kind of joke._"

"Oh, I see," she said, chuckling. "Sorry for barging in like that," she said, giving her share of the embarrassing moment. She was rubbing her arm in the gesture.

"So, what's up?" Axel asked, back to his casual mood.

"I heard you were friends," she began pretty quickly. "But I was wondering if you know where Roxas is."

"Yea, we're friends. And no, I have no idea where he is…you must be from the Iris Bouquet, are you?"

"Yea," she answered. "My name's Mulan."

"Axel," Axel replied. "You already know that, but just as a _formal_ introduction," he added humorously, winking.

Mulan smiled warmly. "It's nice meeting you, Axel."

"Same here, but since we're on Roxas, anything in particular happened?" he asked. He hasn't been hanging around with him for a while, actually. He was pretty busy lately, and Roxas was almost just as busy as he was. Axel doesn't have time for chats anymore during typical late-night Internet.

"I was going to ask you that…" she glanced at her side. "Have you noticed anything weird about him?"

"A…couple of things," came the ambiguous answer with an equally ambiguous tone. "But if I'm thinking what you're thinking…then no…sorry."

Mulan have picked up his first answer with suspicion and was urged to ask further. Something made her step back down though. "I see…thanks, anyway. Sorry for bothering you just now. But haven't you really notice anything?" she said quickly. "Copper's still quite shock…"

Axel wondered what kind of answer Mulan was really expecting. He had other ideas of Roxas's oddities, but if it were regarding recent events, he couldn't answer that. Mulan realized she was about to ramble, so she finally departed, leaving Axel back to his papers for the Youth Festival and his 'research'.

But now that something new came up, maybe he ought to get updated…

* * *

The sunset appeared brighter each day, each time Axel visits by the end of the day. So he says he has barely time for anything, but he has to _make_ time for special things. Even for a minute, he has to see the sea of red blaze in the sky. If he were to miss the sight, then he'd forget something important.

From the dangerous height up the windmill, he spotted the well in the grounds, which stood out free from snow unlike the other buildings and trees in the school. He looked away upon spotting the snow-covered storage room below.

Things continue to change, Axel reflected. Though the windmills were left forever here to never work, when the wind would come, it would still wave its wheels in return. Now winter has frozen them in place in hibernation. Because of this, the flares from the light of the setting sun bounced from the mirror surface of the ice.

There was a noise from below. Someone was climbing up.

Axel barely made the effort to move. That someone wasn't trying to sneak up on him. It noisily crawled up, and he could even guess it fell once or twice trying to.

He heard the person struggle upon reaching the ladder. There was a loud slamming on the floor and the collision on the some debris.

"At least clean these away!" scolded the voice, huffing.

"Who said you can come here?" Axel responded, ignoring her comment.

"Oh?" the voice answered back, rising to the challenge. "You think you have more authority over me, Lea Turks?" it imposed.

Axel laughed. He crossed his arms behind his head and let gravity pull him down the floor. "On the contrary, I think I've still got a long way to go to get that much power. Power's only good when you're on your turf, don't you think?" his emerald eyes flew up and saw Xion standing with her hands on her hips.

Xion sat down beside Axel, who sat right up. Axel saw her doing what he had been doing. "This is what you two used to do."

"You remember," Axel remarked, impressed. "Or just good at sniffing on someone's business," he added humorously, recalling the time she miraculously knew his cellphone number and called to be her scapegoat fiancé.

Xion only smiled. There was a comfortable silence for a moment.

"Surely…how's it going?" she asked, her voice soft.

Axel stared at the sun. He raised a knee up and put his right arm there. "Not good." Axel felt Xion look at him. "They told me a new member appeared. We've yet to identify the ones already stationed here."

"So that's what you've been doing," she said, looking back at the sky.

"Yea." Axel paused. "I've got loads of responsibilities up here, you know," Axel said jokingly, patting his shoulder dramatically like a heavy burden was there. "And, well…" he rubbed his neck. "I think I'm actually getting _stressed_. Silly, I know."

"No." Xion looked down at the view. Axel's clownish look changed, again. "I can feel it, too. If it's affecting even you, Axel, surely…"

Axel was a bit uncomfortable, and possibly pale. "I…I see…well, I think it's pretty normal!" he said loudly, shifting a bit.

"I'm worried about Roxas," Xion continued.

"Ye-yea…so am I…" Axel went on, though it sounded force. Something was bugging him.

Xion, finally noticing this, blinked a few times. When she looked at her fiancé, he only looked away. "Axel, don't tell me…" But Xion looked away immediately and her eyes landed on a pile of metal boxes. "There's something…"

The two jerked at a sound coming below. Axel was strangely quiet. Xion stood up slowly, something Axel mimicked with hesitance. The noise continued as if going up to where they were. Both Axel and Xion watched the trapdoor, expecting something to come up there. The sunset finally hiding was a bad omen. Darkness began to spread.

"Axel—" But Xion was cut off and she screamed. A tall figure came out with a light that blinded them.

"AHHH!" Axel yelled aloud that could probably be heard all over the skies.

But then, nothing happened, except the light moved around their faces. "…you shouldn't be up here."

Axel's face was still locked in a stun. He slowly realized it was just the odd man from the maintenance, the Leon guy Roxas spoke of. When he heard Xion madly laughing too, he realized something that returned the color to his skin twice red.

"Why you—!"

"The school's closing," he said. A frown formed on his cold face. "Quit playing around," Leon chided as Axel strangled the now choking Xion.

Axel and Xion caught sight of the few members of the Iris Bouquet leaving as well. They watched them a bit cautiously, but said no further except goodbyes to each other. Before they've gone, there was a glimpse of a small shadow that belonged to no one.

* * *

Roxas was safely about the next day, doing another round of patrol during lunch. There has been a very little point in patrols that there were a few times they actually took turns in cutting it. Roxas and the others by now have memorized each corner of the school. There's been nothing to report about at all. The after-school patrol has become the only exciting time for them to venture around at night, keeping each other company.

Roxas occasionally experience 'dreams' during the patrols. He began noticing that recently, but it was the day before yesterday that it had gotten somehow serious. He never reported about the 'dreams'. He didn't expect it to have any connection, but there was now an underlying mystery. Unfortunately, he wouldn't dare write about them.

There was a new mystery today. First of all he returned to school without any unnecessary commotion. Not that he wanted them to overreact again about his absence, but he expected a crowd again to ask. But ever since his most recent 'dream', he noticed anxiety and distress among the students. On some parts of school, students were pretty lively. But there were areas that hid a strange atmosphere.

"_Maybe this is what the patrol was about…"_ he thought, observing how quiet it was in the Sakura Bouquet dining hall.

The Sakura Bouquet was located on the far eastern edge of the school and the structure was simple and graceful. Most on the insides were fashioned from hard, ginger wood. The doors were sliding screen doors with a parchment-like paper screen that has an overlay of pink petals across it. Small 5cm square wooden frames were attached on these doors.

The Sakura Castle branched from the main area to circular two or three-story buildings. From there, the narrow platforms are used as roads to connect the areas. Though it was snowing, the platforms were elevated from the ground and were constantly free from the white menace. The buildings were close to each other, almost like mounds together. But the environment was as nature-friendly like the Daisy Castle, where wonderful parks lie in the middle of the circular buildings. The Sakura Castle was really blossoming with creativity, far better in comparison with the Daisy Castle, which was pretty bland.

"_And we failed to stop something…or did Ansem already know?"_ Roxas was circling through the hallway (platforms that were only a meter thick across, too narrow for two people) when she spotted a familiar figure by the ponds, now frozen in ice and where leaves drip with snow.

It was Xion. Something inside him was elated that he was about to call forward, but she saw her busy with her sketchpad. The idea that he didn't want to bother her though wasn't what suddenly troubled him.

"_Somehow, Xion was there when bad things happen to me…"_ he bitterly thought. Of course, there were _always_ unfortunate events that center on him, but there were events that some people didn't know. Xion was…the exemption.

"Roxas!"

Roxas looked up and saw Xion, doing the first to call. Roxas smiled and waved back.

"Are you busy?" Xion asked, closing her sketchpad.

"Well, not really," he answered, a bit surprised.

"Surely you're in the middle of the patrol, aren't you?"

Roxas looked around and gave Xion was bewildered look. "How…well, I mean, we always do that…"

Xion stood up and skipped to Roxas, giving him that girlish wink. "I know about it," she whispered, leaning forward that made Roxas pull away involuntarily again. "I guess you're busy then…again."

"Sorry," he apologized. Aeris have told very little about Xion, but it's not like she swore to stalk the girl. Being a year apart must have been a hindrance.

Roxas wanted to talk to Xion for a long time, but weeks just flew by since they first met. "I'll talk to you again…there's something I have to do."

Roxas wondered silently what the heck he was doing. He excused himself all of a sudden when it was him who wanted the opportunity to talk to her. He didn't take back his words, nor did he try to show any signs of awkwardness in the manner.

When Roxas hastily left, Xion heard him mutter something.

* * *

"Surely. I think he may have noticed," Xion said through the phone. "But he didn't ask me anything…" She was by the terrace, sat on the elegant chair and bathed under the light. Her next class was in a couple of minutes, so she waited here like most of the students.

Xion's eyes were focused on something, but when her eyes blinked again, they were focused on another thing. The next moment she was distracted by a flash and turned around. There was an odd (scary in normal terms) man who was obviously not from school. He was looking through his camera, probably inspecting the image he just captured.

"Okay, good luck with your stuffs," she had said, before turning off and keeping her cellphone. She then directed her attention to the said man, whose appearance did not stop her from asking. "Um, excuse me. Who are you?"

The man grinned cockily, adjusting the eye patch on his eye. "A visitor," he answered in those few words. "I see you're smiling now, little missy. You had quite a scary face last time."

"Scary face?" she said quietly, taken back. She heard the first bell rang. She gathered her things and indifferently left. Her eyes caught onto something that she turned away from, at the same time the camera flashing to her direction again.

A familiar figure passed by in front of her. She beamed. "Roxas!" the girl called, waving and chasing the boy.

She didn't hear it as the noise of the students lives again whilst moving to their classes, but the man inspected the camera, shaking his head.

"Looks like someone _accidentally _let them out…" he said to himself, his eyebrows creasing. "She's got a beautiful pair, as expected of him…" he commented, ceasing to a smile that was mocking and cold. The second however he realized another thing, his eyes widening in shock and perhaps, horror, he wildly looked around but the students have vanished in the confines of their classrooms.

A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face. For the man to respond like this, to have something terrible triggered in his mind, it was alarming. He could barely utter the words he said next.

"What was that…abomination…?"

* * *

Before the bell had rang, Roxas dropped by the Iris Castle like usual to meet with his fellow silver brooch. When he was stepping through the doors, he felt something odd as they were all gathered there as if they've been waiting and discussing something deep.

The Iris Castle was empty from students already. It was an isolated place. No one liked being alone in the Iris Castle; it was unnerving, especially to those not from the Bouquet, who heard from others how maze-like the structure was, especially the dorms.

"Hey…" Roxas hesitantly greeted.

"Oh, just in time!" Peter said, jumping up from the chair. The others warmly greeted Roxas, which made Roxas sigh in relief.

"Roxas, you okay now?"

Roxas nodded at Copper. "Yea."

"Why were you absent?" he asked again, somehow persistent, but Roxas felt concern and guilt coming from him.

"It's another reason!" he said quickly.

"Which is…?" Peter said testily, his arms crossed, tapping his foot.

"…"

"Oh, c'mon!" Peter lashed out, an arm swiped the air.

"Peter!" Mulan berated, standing up. Peter's voice carelessly magnified in the quiet lobby.

Roxas stiffened; his sigh of relief was no more. He thought he was glad for the lack of questioning this morning already, but now he was cornered by people who were more than persistent. Honestly, he didn't expect this.

"Roxas." All eyes were turned to Yuffie, who was delightfully well-liked. "You can tell us."

The boy remained silent. Maybe it was because their words were strangling him. He felt like he lost his voice.

He didn't really want to answer that – not to them, anyway.

Not to…anyone.

Have this been what they were doing? Talking about him? He was used to it, yet a tight clench in his chest told him the idea hurt him, violated something.

Roxas never really gave it much thought, but the moment he entered, his instincts instantly told him they were keep something from him, and they wanted something out from Roxas. If there's anything Roxas was keeping, it was a sacred piece of information that unfortunately slipped from his tongue one day and the chain of events haven't been favorable in keeping the secret a secret.

Wakka must have told them. Rank-wise, it was logical. And having spent most of his time with this group told Roxas that Wakka have approached them behind his back, probably yesterday.

Roxas stood still, feeling bare and exposed, as if they've already seen through him. They were just waiting for his confession.

"Oh good, everyone's still here."

The new voice wasn't very familiar to everyone. It came right behind Roxas, the new guest entering from the Iris Garden.

The stranger was a young woman wearing thick, wintry clothes; white, wooly sweater with floral designs across, a navy blue skirts down the knees, and pink ear muffins on her head whilst a pink pair of socks down her ankles. They knew she was a student for sure. The brooch on her left chest told them she was even from their Bouquet. The fact it was even gold shocked them.

"Oooh, Yuna!" Yuffie exclaimed.

Yuna smiled. Her blue eyes glittered. She humbly bowed a bit towards Yuffie. "Hello, Yuffie."

"Wow, you're out of broad daylight!" Yuffie continued, beaming.

"I am…"

"I thought you were a vampire or something!" the fifth year joked.

Yuna giggled, following the joke along with good humor. "I live in the dorms," she said. Her voice was quiet and gentle. "But as you can see, I take classes, too, with you…" And it was there she hinted maybe a sign of annoyance or hurt.

Yuffie laughed awkwardly. "Yea…but not the Bouquet, right? The other year levels don't know about you. You don't eat with us, either…"

Yuna decided to return that with silence. Looks like they were other people with secrets, and Peter received this attitude with chagrin.

"I need to tell you something, before the bell rings," Yuna said with a business-like voice. She held her hand together and stood on both legs. Roxas closed the door behind her. Though Iris Garden was covered, the chilly wind from Iris Hill reached the Castle.

Yuna was the person whom they report to; but never in person, because she was often not around. They wrote reports and sent them in, each reports growing shorter and shorter as time passed. Yuna never replied, never said anything else. She didn't tell them to stop either, nor wonder when her mailbox would be empty at some days.

Today however, she showed up herself. Roxas didn't know, but Peter and the others were aware of the disturbances lately, probably more than him since his absence.

"The threat we predicted exists," she continued. "Last year, the threat existed in a minor level, but it completely vanished when the snow disappeared. From your recent reports, along with mine, it was concluded that the same threat exists, but in a larger level."

"What kind of threat are you talking about?" Mulan asked quietly, standing straight and sharp like the others.

"Magic," Yuna answered firmly. "Don't be alarmed. Magic is natural in our environment. It's what runs our houses and schools."

"We know that," Peter replied. "But you said it's a 'threat'."

"Correct," she nodded. "In response to this threat, we will eliminate it. It's possible it hasn't even moved. It's possible it's among us already. We'll have to investigate and act on it. This is no longer part of the Assignment given to us, but as Iris students, we have to do something."

"Are we doing this in secret?" Mulan questioned, holding qualms about the idea.

"Not at all," the golden brooch said. "The administration has been notified, but they've taken no action. It's a threat that hasn't been explicitly affecting us, so the level doesn't call for professional help. However we have to be on-guard. I'll be leading investigations about the case. Although this isn't an Assignment from Ansem himself, please keep this confidential." Yuna paused, hesitance creeping in.

"This isn't very…official either, but trust me," Yuna stated, looking up. "I have experience when it comes to magic."

"All right!" Yuffie shouted, raising a knuckle in the air. "Another exciting adventure! Boy, nothing's exciting in the Bouquet when you're brooch-less."

"Yuna, one question," Mulan said, raising a hand slowly.

"Yes?"

"Do you…use magic?"

Yuna nodded. "I do. You'll be learning basics in fifth year, but I had extensive training because of my family."

"I see…" Yuna smiled at Mulan, and she just smiled back. "Well, we're up for it!"

When that was over, something big was just about to begin. Patrol assignments were over, but now there was investigation along the way. Roxas was not at all comfortable about how the world decided to roll.

The bell rang, a heavy feeling still up on Roxas chest. As he was headed to class, for a moment he was able to breathe in comfortably when he and Xion spoke to each other before the second bell told them to disperse.

* * *

_**end of episode  


* * *

  
**_


	8. dangerous investigation

Yikes with the progress of the characters, I think I'll have to add five additional chapters more…

I made this chapter a possible favorite: lots of dialogs.

**

* * *

Episodes of Hearts**

**episode 8  
dangerous investigation  


* * *

**

Roxas is a meek child, Rould observed. But whether he was meek before his stay under him, he didn't know. The time the boy was sent in a year ago by workers of the government was the first moment they caught a glimpse of one another. Rould has been living in Radiant Garden for seven years because of his work. He was still living alone, though the thought of marriage crossed his mind several times. He courted women and were in a couple of relationships before.

When his nephew came, he carried with him a pair of eyes that shouldn't belong to a twelve-year-old. They were blank and empty, hiding anguish he didn't even realize.

Because of the diplomacy status at that time with Destiny Islands, Rould wasn't updated with his younger brother. He knew he was married, but he didn't know he had two sons – twins.

Rould was no amateur when it comes to research and though he was middle-aged, he has an even better memory than the youngsters. He was quite sure he only had one nephew and he died with Rould's sister-in-law.

His only nephew was supposed to be dead.

"_Was my brother delusional?_" he thought. Roxas would pass as his nephew or even as a son easily. Perhaps his brother created memories in the figment of the past? Rould did not voice out his doubts that Roxas may not be related to him or his brother. He didn't have the heart either, because the boy had no one who remembered him.

Roxas is a meek child, but he was at least open to his only living relative. Though Rould has met the claim with doubt, it doesn't matter anymore.

Roxas was his nephew and nothing will change that. They were family.

Rould sipped on the hot coffee, secretly winking to glance at Roxas, who was focused on the food on his plate.

How he wish he can say that aloud. Maybe if he _did_ get married…

"I see I'm safe from criticism for drinking coffee this late at hour."

Roxas looked up and saw the empty Kerokero mug (his uncle's favorite) Uncle Rould uses for drinking coffee. Roxas scowled at his uncle.

"You shouldn't be drinking coffee during dinner!"

Uncle Rould raised his hands up. "Sadly, you're too late." His nephew had tried his best to pretend he wasn't disturbed, but tonight his silence said many things. "Roxas, would you be happy if I were to get married?"

Roxas straightened up. Uncle Rould can imagine him smiling widely, but Roxas didn't have his hopes that high up; he's been trying to encourage his uncle to get married.

"Yea," Roxas answered, a bit cautiously. "I really think you should."

"Why is that?"

"That's because you're still so young," he reasoned out again adamantly. "You were in a relationship a year ago when I came in, but you broke up with her. But you were so happy. I don't know why you'd break up with her!" Roxas took an energetic spoon of his food. He chewed and swallowed. "And don't tell me it was for my own good!"

Roxas didn't see how easy Uncle Rould could have cried in joy. Roxas was really his nephew, his family, wishing only for his happiness.

The chime of the doorbell rang. Uncle Rould was the first to stand, signaling for Roxas to stay on his seat and finish his dinner.

Uncle Rould slid open the small compartment near his eye level and peeped through the hole. The red-haired figure caused him to frown.

He opened the door and looked straight at the young man's eyes; he was just a year older than his nephew, yet this boy's taking adult business so seriously.

"Yo, Roxas's uncle!" Axel greeted with such informality that Uncle Rould was taken aback, blinking.

"Good evening!"

And this second voice made the man realized Lea was not here for any business, business Uncle Rould was concerned of anyway.

"Good evening, you two," he greeted back, finally noticing the black-haired girl with Axel.

"He totally didn't see you," Axel teased the girl, adding injury to the wound by patting the girl easily on the head.

"Shutup."

"Have you two eaten?"

The two shook their heads. "We're just stopping by to see Roxas," the girl said.

"He's still eating dinner," Uncle Rould replied. "You two can join him."

"Gladly!" Axel exclaimed, trying not to smirk.

When the two came in, Roxas stood up all of a sudden. Xion thanked Roxas's uncle for welcoming them in, before joining Axel who took the initiative to sit down.

"He-llo!" Axel greeted Roxas, cockily putting an arm on the dinner table.

"How cute!" Xion cooed, looking at the Kerokero mug.

"That's my Uncle's," Roxas said, now a bit uncomfortable having two visitors all of a sudden. His uncle went off to serve food for the two.

Xion bent to look at the design. "You gave it to him?"

Roxas flushed. "Yea…a long time ago."

Axel smirked. "Oh yea? How long?"

Roxas glared at Axel, who only smirked wider for catching Roxas right on the spot.

When food was served for the two new visitors, Roxas sat right down and tried to eat along with Axel and Xion. This didn't go unnoticed to the two, who shared a glance at each other. Roxas saw this and felt even more uncomfortable.

"This is all Xion's idea!" Axel said aloud all of a sudden.

"Axel!"

"Well, it was _your_ reasoning." Axel looked at the confused Roxas. "She wanted to talk to wait until you were in your room and call your attention with the throw-a-pebble-at-the-window trick."

"I thought it was something special to do!" Xion defended.

"Weelll, I wasn't against that. I thought it'd be interesting, but then of course, I was also concern." With the way Axel smiled and shrugged in his dramatics, Roxas doubted that. "So I said, 'That's kind of odd, for a girl to be with a guy alone in his room'. And she was like, 'Oh, I'm sure it'd be more odd if it were a guy alone in another guy's room'. Geez, seriously."

"You'd be surprise what stories go on the Internet…"

"Life's not like the Internet," Axel argued back, taking a spoon of his food.

A glint sparkled in Xion's eyes. "It's a new way of life!"

"You can walk now. Get a new life already."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. What did Axel mean?

Axel probably read his mind and told Roxas, "Xion was shot in her legs when she was young, so she ended up with really short legs. So no, she doesn't wear short shorts."

"Axel _loves_ wearing short shorts," Xion shot back in a sweet voice. Roxas couldn't help but laugh.

"How young were you?" Roxas asked. It seemed like Xion was really an open person; she was comfortable to talk with things from her past.

"Four, five?" Xion drank a glass of water. "Roxas, do you cook?"

Roxas wondered if Xion actually did a research on him, or she was clearly very observant. "Yea. My uncle comes home at this hour, so I prepare dinner most of the time."

"Very good!" Axel said. Something in his voice was trying to tease. "Right, Xion? Kind of convenient since you only cook food good for rats."

"How mean!" Xion pouted.

Roxas looked down. He was long finished with his plate. He looked up to the duo. "So…why did you two come here?"

Xion beamed. "I just wanted to have a chat with you, and Axel missed eating with you."

Roxas felt a nauseating guilt at the pit of his stomach, glancing quickly at Axel hid in a poker-face. Roxas responded with a chuckle, trying to look as if he was busy with something with his hand. Xion saw it, how he suddenly smiled after seeing Axel's stubborn reaction.

"Stuffs been keeping me busy lately," the redhead mentioned.

"Yea."

There was a silence that settled in. Xion, the self-appointed mediator, remained quiet. This was something like an interrogation; sometimes, silence was the best key.

"You know," Axel said quietly. "If you have a problem…"

Roxas leaned at the chair, trying not to look anxious.

"You can always talk to Xion," he finished. Xion introduced her palm to her head. But Axel's face had a hint of pinkish flush, thinking all over if he wanted to add something, or correct that line. "Then she'll tell me if I need to hit you in the head."

Axel stood up, fixing his jacket. The two remained silent, starring at his dead serious face. This was the other side of Axel, a side Roxas sometimes feared to meet.

"You think you can deal with everything and please people. I'm not sure why you're so eager to help others, but you're...kind like that…" Axel was glaring at the clock. Roxas was wide-eyed. Xion was waiting for the right timing.

"It's stupid trying to be friends," he said coldly, finally turning to look at the dumbfounded Roxas. "Because we're keeping secrets from each other. But I understand that. Even though we want to be a feet apart from each other, we still want to watch each other's backs."

* * *

Raden Academy appeared inactive the next day. It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the cold weather persisted, and everyone is inside a respective Castle. The schedule for Bouquet meetings finally shifted for the Youth Festival, granting two hours for each year level to prepare for the upcoming event.

The second years were by the common room in the Iris Castle. The tables and chairs were put aside to make space for the students, roughly a hundred sixty students. Most didn't like the venue Axel picked, but Lotus Castle was clearly forbidden (strict Gardener) and the rest of the venues from the other Castles have been taken by the other year level.

Roxas was having a small discussion with Axel and the representatives from the other Bouquets. Most of the students were just chatting; barely half were actually doing work, but Axel has his hands full at the moment. The orchestra care of the Sakura Bouquet was in need of permission to use the music room (which was fully booked by the other year level).

"Schedule and booking is seriously frustrating," Axel muttered.

"The festival used to be per Bouquet, so we didn't have trouble with the venue before," Kiara, representative from the Daisy Bouquet said with a heavy sigh.

Kiara's cousin, Kovu was looking quite irritated. "And it's _damn noisy in here_!" he growled loudly, bellowing through the room that effectively silenced the chattering students.

Axel spared the crowd his trademark clownish smile. "Thank you."

Roxas noticed that almost everyone was really on the tip of their temper. He remembered the dinner last night and what Axel said. He couldn't believe that Axel would say something like that, but what he did stunned him more: he broke down a barrier, enough for Roxas to see something more about Axel.

"_Axel never lets anyone know what he thinks,"_ he contemplated. He never talked to Xion about Axel though. Maybe he should? He remembered Xion was part of the fireworks committee.

"Do you want me to distribute the work?" Roxas suddenly said.

Roxas wondered if what he said was the most absurd thing, because the small group all raised eyebrows at him, even Axel.

And for once, Roxas asked with utmost confusion, "What?"

It was Kiara who answered, not before she smiled knowingly and giggling. "We kinda thought you're just forced to go with us. It's nice you're volunteering for a change."

"Forced?" Roxas repeated, slightly scandalized. Was that what they've always thought of him?

"Oh, you know how you get dragged around easily."

"Like how you'll try to find a lost cat if you found a poster of it," Kovu added, snickering mockingly.

Axel was murmuring something to the representative of the Sakura Bouquet while throwing Roxas a scrutinizing look; Roxas wasn't trying to smile or look away.

"And that's a bad thing?"

"No, not really…" Kovu went on. "I just think it's about reputation."

"I don't care about that!" Roxas said, feeling anger festering inside him. "And I'm not forced to do anything! Something has to be done!"

Kiara shrunk back a little; she only knew Roxas from a few classes and rumors, but if he were acting like this, it didn't take a genius they've stepped an invisible line.

"We didn't mean—"

"Haha!" Kovu laughed, amused. "Oh c'mon, you're here because of Axel, your _responsibility_."

Axel's eyes narrowed dangerously and he felt something in him snap. "Hey, hey, if you don't want to get kicked—holy shit."

Roxas threw a face flat punch at the Lotus Bouquet student, causing the boy to land on the floor and attract just about the attention of everyone in the room. In a few seconds, word was about to get out and speculations of what the heck just happened. Kiara let out a yelp and tried to nurse her cousin's bleeding lip.

"Axel's my friend," he hissed dangerously.

"Roxas."

Roxas was still on the edge, but it was Axel who called. He handed him a folder. "Give this to Xion."

Roxas grabbed the folder and said nothing, disappearing out of the room and leaving the world again to speculate to toy with the imagination and enjoy the entertainment at another fictional tale.

Maybe when his mind clears up, Roxas would feel extremely guilty about this, but he'll be honest to himself and his thoughts alone: it felt good.

* * *

Xion was using a program in the laptop to arrange and play the fireworks display. It would take a lot of money, accuracy, teamwork, and anxiety to get the fireworks right. The Lotus and Sakura Bouquet were putting their brains together for this, while the Sunflower Bouquet was eager to light up the fireworks and initiate the launching.

The common room they were in was unusually quiet, filled with whispers something about the fireworks as they stared at the projected screen on the wall. A laptop was connected to the projector, where the chairman was. The temporary display was being played repeatedly for the audience and examined and criticized whether it will bring impact and if it was doable.

Someone came in the room and people only spared him glances before going back to work. Xion didn't return to work immediately like them though, finding Roxas approaching her.

"Thanks," she said, accepting it. She opened the folder and saw the papers for the firework design that Axel had in mind. Xion looked up at Roxas, who was unusually quiet. She had the impression he was a quiet sort of guy, but Roxas normally said something to her. She found their first meeting was already the time they've broken the talking barrier.

"It's some suggestions from Axel about the fireworks."

"Hey, Xion…"

"Hm?" Xion pretended she was busy with the laptop, knowing divided attention would make Roxas at least more comfortable.

"What do you think of…me?"

"You're cute."

Roxas can't help but feel this was all a joke. "Not that. Nothing physical."

"You're really nice…or at least, trying to. Axel totally doesn't try to be one." Xion then gave Roxas that contagious smile. It worked quite well. "You do things asap and you try to keep your own problems to yourself…seriously like Axel."

"So, I'm just like him?"

"Nah," Xion laughed, finally taking down her act with the laptop and sparing Roxas all her attention. "You're way nicer and approachable. Axel can be pretty mean."

Roxas sighed heavily. It's because Xion was a new student that he didn't make any similar comments from the other students.

"Sorry," he said, laughing quietly. "I…don't know what's going on with me lately."

"You're not the only one. There's a bad aura in the school."

Roxas scratched the back of his head. "I'm not really…friends with people outside my Bouquet…except you two, of course."

"Considering they've split students in Bouquets, I don't think you're the only one," Xion shared. "You and Axel are the only friends I have outside the Bouquet, too."

"Really?"

Xion's eyes softened warmly, somehow understanding the boy quickly and realizing so much. "The people around you are just like you, keeping secrets about themselves. It's a bit too early to be giving up, Roxas."

* * *

The hour was starting to pass. The students have gone home, but several members of the Iris Bouquet remained. They waited at the lobby, finding some scraps of food left by the second years an hour ago.

The aura of the school really spared no one. Peter was unusually quiet, Mulan was starring into space, Copper was scanning his notebook, and Yuffie was texting with her cellphone with a frown on her face.

Roxas thought he belonged in this group, the silver brooch of the Iris Bouquet. Sure, Peter was bossy, but like Roxas, he does something when something needed to be done. Peter's intentions may have been more selfish, but Peter was Peter. Mulan has always been friendly to Roxas ever since he stood up for her last year against Li Shang. Roxas heard it's been going on between them since Mulan was a second year, but Roxas, who was quite proud of the Bouquet's lack of hegemony between the sexes, only stood up for what he thought was right.

It was that duel last year that made him insanely popular. Roxas can't believe he just realized it now. He fought on behalf of Mulan, like a knight in shining armor. He defeated Li Shang, sure, but he was the one who went home injured and with a sprain on the ankle. Li Shang went home with a scratch on his wrist.

Even with a humiliation that didn't reach the ears of many, Roxas still stood up for Mulan and with Li Shang's recommendation, granted him the brooch he wore today.

Copper looked indifferent, but he was willing to help. Roxas knew he was close with someone from the Daisy Bouquet and have often spotted them together. His friend didn't have a very good reputation though (except from the female population). That sounded really like something about him and Axel.

And the oldest, Yuffie was among the seniors who always joked around Roxas. Zidane, Tramp, and Jack, seniors of the Bouquet were probably the ones whom Kovu pointed out about dragging him around. But Roxas thought he was being welcomed, not dragged around, and unwanted. Maybe Kovu was right on behalf of some students, but Yuffie always made fun of anything. She was still Yuffie to Roxas.

These people are…

"Everyone," Yuna's voice came as she entered the lobby. She carried a staff with her this time, unmistakably something about the magic she can use. The students took in detail of the artifact with her. "Let's get a move on."

"Wait."

"What is it?" Yuna asked. Her question was simple, but the other students were surprised at Roxas.

Roxas breathed in. He was standing and facing his fellow Iris students. It looked like the general was going to give a speech.

"I don't know what you've heard from others, but I'm sorry for not telling. I just couldn't tell it, and I know it's wrong. I really feel bad, because you've always been there for me. I just thought…" Roxas was losing it. He began blushing. "I'm sorry."

Roxas was expecting a mixed reaction, but when he dared look, everyone appeared relief. Peter was just smiling proudly as usual (than the depressed one).

"We were just worried," Copper said being the one stabbed by the apology the most. "I really don't know what happened when you collapsed. Even the doctors weren't exactly sure."

"I'm perfectly fine," Roxas said, opening his arms as if welcoming Copper to see so himself.

"Well, you weren't!" he insisted. "Even your friends didn't know anything."

Roxas was taken back, expressing this surprise with blinks. They took lengths and approached Xion and Axel?

"So-sorry…" Roxas was lost for words. They were worried? No mention of magic or drugs? Nothing?

"Looks like it's settled." Peter stretched his arms out. "Enough with the drama. Let's get going with the adventure."

Yuna nodded. "I assume everyone has a cellphone." She looked at each of them, receiving a nod. "I'll be using it as the medium for telepathy for our communication. You five would have to separate. The security is not notified of the investigation, so you'll have to stay hidden. I believe the patrol assignment gave you enough training to remember the areas."

"_So the patrol was about training us for this?"_ Roxas thought inwardly.

"Keep your cellphones in silent mode. Only accept calls from me. I can navigate through the school so all five of you will be evenly distributed. We'll be starting with Iris Castle. Lights will be turned off at 7 o'clock, so be back before seven…"

* * *

Roxas didn't know what to expect. Only a few lights were remained on in the Iris Castle. It was quite his first time to be around the school at all past 6 o'clock. He and Peter only experienced the night atmosphere of the school last summer when they became fresh first year graduates. It barely involved exploring Iris Castle, though.

"Yuna, have you ever seen the security team?" Roxas asked over the cellphone. They had their cellphones on earphone mode, where it was clipped on their ear for convenience.

"Yes…I often see them since I live by the dorms," came the reply. "Perhaps I should've warned you, but they're elite fighters, especially the security head. Don't worry, I'll warn you immediately."

Roxas paused when he saw a light coming from the outside by the windows. He stalked quietly to the window and peeked. Unfortunately, he didn't see anyone. The light vanished.

After almost an hour, Yuna called them to come back to the lobby. When Roxas mentioned of the light, both Mulan and Peter said they saw them same thing. It was highly likely it was just the security team, but the group can't help but feel uneasy that the security was so close to them as if they knew.

"We'll continue investigation tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Peter exclaimed. "That's a Saturday!"

"Exactly. We can look around from broad daylight, too."

"Um." Mulan slowly raised a hand up. "We have a meeting here tomorrow for the Youth Festival."

"Even better, then! It should make investigation easier."

Mulan's message didn't seem to go through Yuna. She sighed in defeat. "I guess I'll be ditching practice."

"Yuna, how could you leave the school now?" Roxas finally asked.

"There's an emergency exit I have access to by the dorms," she answered, smiling.

With that said, they headed to where the exit was, just by the first floor of the Iris dorms. Yuna used her golden brooch to access it, and then allowing teleportation for the students to leave the school unnoticed.

"Have a safe trip home."

* * *

The next day, they met up in the Iris Castle again. None of the students spared them a question, too busy with the Youth Festival preparations. Mulan wasn't so lucky, who made up excuses to go. When everyone gathered, they immediately continued the investigation starting from Daisy Castle. After past an hour, Yuna directly told them their next search in Sakura Castle.

Investigating in broad daylight was different from last night's experience. Though it was much easier, it was nothing different from their patrol assignment. Roxas was going through from room to room when suddenly a presence stood behind him that he jumped.

"Oops, sorry," Xion said, giggling, noticing his surprise.

"What's wrong?" Yuna's voice came through the phone, hearing Roxas's exclaim.

"Nothing."

Xion blinked. "Oh, were you talking to someone?"

Roxas was starting to disengage the phone from his ear. "I'll call you later," he lied to keep up the act. He heard Yuna ask, but he turned off the cellphone and kept it in his pocket.

"Sorry about that."

"No, it's okay."

"What are you doing here? I didn't hear any patrols during weekends."

Roxas decided to dodge the question. "Erm, why would you know about our patrols?"

"I told you, I'm related to the higher-ups!"

"Ansem?"

"Shh."

Roxas had only been half-joking that he choked on air. "Xion, are you…?"

"Roxas, they've been stalking you."

Roxas stared at Xion's eyes: deep blue, serious, and yet, childish…

"I know you're trying to investigate what's going on. You should…stop."

A strange look appeared on Xion's face.

"Something is really going on, then?" Roxas replied quietly.

Xion, with her strange face, looked away. This was an odd, ominous sign. Xion _never_ looks away.

"Axel's already dealing with it, so just stop."

"Axel knows?" Roxas unconsciously raised his voice. By now, he came to understand that people have secrets, but he didn't like this. Xion seem to know everything about Roxas and Axel was just as observant. And these two held a secret that they never mentioned to Roxas. There was annoyance in Roxas's face, but it all melted away on Xion's next word.

"Sorry…"

Roxas felt it at how sad and guilty Xion felt about this, already knowing what Roxas feels, that the stab of betrayal was what he felt so remorseful about. Roxas looked away as well. He felt it was still necessary to show his disapproval of this secret-keeping in some way.

They were all hypocrites.

"Then tell me, Xion. Is it dangerous?"

"It's a threat," Xion answered. Roxas can't help but shiver when she used the exact word and tone of Yuna. "If you pry in for too long, it will become dangerous."

"Then, what about Axel?"

"He's fine," she said dismissively and quickly. "He's not alone, anyway. They were prepared for 'research' like this."

Roxas stopped to think. Xion knows something, but doesn't mention helping Axel directly or indirectly. Axel is working with someone and he and his friend are used to this kind of work.

Ansem sent them to an Assignment for patrol. It was met with ambiguity; they only have guesses why they were told to. They were told to report to Yuna, but only recently did she finally say anything about it. Yuna told them their patrol assignment was done, yet she requested their presence for 'unofficial' investigation.

Yuna told them the administration was informed, yet the security staff wasn't…that's a big question mark.

"Would you tell me who Axel is working with?"

Xion shook her head. "Sorry, I can't."

Could it be Yuna? But why wasn't the security staff informed of such threats? Did they want to keep information within a small group? It would make sense, but there exists the possibility Yuna completely lied to them.

Roxas felt his cellphone vibrating. He took it out and answered it, hearing Mulan on the other line, asking if something was going on. He glanced at Xion, deciding to take this chance.

"All right, Yuna, I'm convinced."

"Huh?" Mulan's expected reply came, but Xion didn't know that. She didn't know it was Mulan talking on the other line, nor the fact Roxas was pretending.

But Xion knew Yuna. Her face just told the truth.

"What are you planning to do now?" Roxas continued, watching Xion secretly. "Yea. Xio—hey!"

Roxas was surprised at what strength Xion could pull. She pushed him, just as he had pushed Hawkins a week ago, and went to grab the cellphone that flew in the air. Roxas crashed on the floor, which was fortunately made out of wood. He saw Xion grab his phone and shut it off with two, shaking hands.

"Xion!"

Roxas was alarmed. Xion had that face at that time.

"I was only joking!" he said immediately, standing up. He regretted it just as fast.

"Joking?" she repeated hollowly. Roxas didn't like the blankness in her face. She stared at his abducted phone, her eyes shaking. He definitely did not like that.

"Yuna is…Yuna is here…" _How long was Roxas in contact with her?_

"Ansem told us to report to her in our Assignment. I thought you knew."

Xion gasped at the information. _"I wasn't told!"_

Roxas's heart was beating. Xion was panicking over Yuna's name. So Yuna wasn't Axel's accomplice?

"Xion, what's going on?"

"Ro-Roxas…just stay home…until it's over." Xion's hands clasped her cheeks, starring at the air. She was trying her best to breathe.

"Xion, tell me!"

"Roxas, stop!"

"I know it's something serious – something has to be—"

Roxas was petrified not out of fear, but in shock that Xion had pointed a gun at him. It was unmistakably a gun.

"Xion…"

"Roxas," she said, ignoring his silent plea with a strong voice. "Don't make me send you to the hospital for a month. If you haven't noticed, Axel and I aren't just transfer students. We weren't here by chance…though you were there, by fate."

Roxas saw her smile and felt that this wasn't just a crazy turn of events; something was making Xion point a weapon at him.

"I don't want to lose two of my friends, Roxas. You and Axel." Then Xion laughed emptily, shameful at how she was letting out her embarrassment at a time like this. "I know it was weird: our first meeting. I thought we have a lot in common and...I really like you."

"I like you, too, Xion!" Roxas interrupted with force.

Xion faltered for a moment, but forced a glare. "Are you lying again?" she asked as cold as she could.

"N-no, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for lying. I'm not…"

The two stared at each other's eyes. It was silly pointing a gun that served no threat but to the wielder itself. This was for Xion's defense, defense from a pain that she would suffer should Roxas make the wrong move. Xion knew she and Roxas had good intentions, but Xion was different. Axel was different. Roxas was…a normal person who wasn't supposed to get dragged in their world.

Roxas is shy and had normal teenager problems. He thinks the world is so different from him and he thinks he was alone against the forces of evil. Many girls have their eyes on him and there are jealous boys envious of his good-looks and talents. Roxas lives in a world that was so beautiful, a world that Axel and Xion wasn't born in.

Roxas is…

"Roxas, what do you think of me?"

The boy made no mistake; he wasn't going to lie. He breathed in heavily and Xion, no longer able to predict Roxas's thoughts, felt uneasy.

Roxas had never been so nervous, yet so sure in his life.

"I...think…you're…"

_You're…you're…you're…you'reyou'reyou'reyou'reyou're………_

There was a dramatic pause. Xion ended up starring at Roxas's face, now increasing in redness. She was short on breath, and just guffawed.

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

…what reminisce of a certain red-haired guy who looks like Knuckles…

"Xi-Xion!" Roxas stuttered, not at all pleased that he was being joked around. No, he doubted the _whole_ thing was joke, but the more he thought about it, what was a near…confession have to do with anything? He was completely toyed around.

But he liked it better, when Xion laughs.

"And you even pointed a gun at me," Roxas said, trying to play along.

Xion bottled her laughter, wiping a tear from her eye. "I was bluffing."

"It's not a real gun?"

"Oh, it is," she said. "But it's special. All it does is nullify magic. See, it shouldn't affect you…Roxas?" Xion frowned in confusion, noticing at how still he was all of a sudden. She quickly gasped seeing his wide, marble-size eyes, gritted teeth, and extremely pale face.

Xion felt weight crash toward her. The gun slowly slipped out of her fingers. Her numb movement was a sign she was still quite shock and confused at what was happening. Roxas wouldn't respond.

"Roxas?!" Xion called again desperately, lifting and nudging her non-responsive friend.

All Roxas remembered last seeing was the swirling mass of blackness above and yellow orbs falling from it. He thought he saw a keyhole amidst the whirlpool in his sky.

"_Was it…glowing just now?"_

* * *

_**end of episode  
**_


End file.
